McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's soccer team is preparing for its final regular season road match against Carroll University on Saturday, October 25, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The Titans currently hold a 10-2-3 overall record and are 4-1-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), placing them second in the league with 13 points, just ahead of North Central College. The team remains unbeaten on the road this season with a 5-0-2 record.

Illinois Wesleyan secured a spot in the CCIW Tournament after a 1-1 draw against North Central on Wednesday, October 22. This marks the third consecutive appearance for the Titans in the league tournament, following their first-ever tournament championship in 2023. Senior goalkeeper Sam Kedzior reached a milestone during the match by surpassing 250 career saves, becoming the first Titan to achieve this feat. Junior Joey Rodino scored the team's only goal, marking his third of the season, which is his highest single-season tally.

The Titans lead the CCIW in total points, assists, and scoring offense. The attacking lineup includes juniors Ryder Coleman and Matthew Perchick, along with sophomore Ben Lyons. Coleman and Lyons have each accumulated 14 points this season, while Perchick has 13 points and provided an assist in the recent match against North Central.

Kedzior leads the conference in goals against average at 0.978 and is second in save percentage at 0.806, as well as in shutouts with three. He has made 58 saves and allowed 14 goals so far this year.

Carroll University is tied for fourth place in the league with North Park University, both holding nine points. Carroll has a 6-8-1 overall record and is 3-4-0 in conference play. At Schneider Stadium, Carroll is 3-4. Recently, Carroll lost two matches by a score of 1-2 to North Park University and Wheaton College. Freshman midfielder Iskander Sharipov leads Carroll with seven goals and 14 points. Goalkeeper Uriel Garcia has allowed 18 goals and made 44 saves with a .710 save percentage.

Illinois Wesleyan has a 6-2-3 head-to-head record against Carroll, bolstered by a six-game win streak during the mid-2010s. Last season, the teams met twice; Carroll won the regular season match 3-0, while Illinois Wesleyan won on penalty kicks in the CCIW Tournament. The Titans' last outright win over Carroll was a 2-1 victory in Waukesha in 2021.

The Titans will finish their regular season road schedule with a match scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Schneider Stadium.