McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan men's soccer team is preparing for a match against the Cardinals from North Central College. The game is scheduled for Wednesday, October 23, at 7 p.m. on Neis Field in Bloomington, Illinois.

Illinois Wesleyan enters the contest with a record of 9-1-3 overall and 3-1-1 in conference play. The Titans are currently ranked fourth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin standings. Wheaton leads the league, followed by Carroll in second place and North Park in third. These three teams have secured their spots in the conference tournament starting November 2.

Last week, Illinois Wesleyan played two conference matches, finishing with one win and one draw. They defeated Augustana with a goal from senior Mush Bakirdan to secure a 1-0 victory on October 16. In their most recent match against Elmhurst University, sophomore Joey Rodino scored a late penalty kick to earn a 1-1 tie.

North Central College holds a season record of 6-4-4 and is 2-2-1 in conference games. The Cardinals won their last match against Carthage with a score of 1-0 on October 19 and are currently sixth in the conference standings.

Historically, North Central leads the series against Illinois Wesleyan with a record of 20 wins, 14 losses, and five draws since their first meeting in 1986. In their last encounter on October 21, 2023, North Central won decisively with a score of 5-1.

Junior goalkeeper Sam Kedzior from Illinois Wesleyan ranks nationally at number 27 for save percentage at .852. Within the conference, he ranks second for goals-against average (.709), save percentage (.852), and shutouts (7).