OMAHA, Neb. – In every season, there are certain games that tend to stand out in retrospect.

To Villanova head coach Tom Carlin, last season's 1-0 loss at the Higgins Soccer Complex to Creighton is one of those matches.

"I thought that one really hit us hard," recalls the Wildcats head coach. "We battled and competed for 90 minutes, created chances and got beat on a controversial goal."

That goal, scored by Luke Haakenson in the 69^th minute, came in a rapid-fire sequence in front of the Wildcats net. The ball was jarred loose from Wildcats' goalkeeper Carson Williams, popped into the air, and gave Haakenson time to knock the ball into the net. At the time there was no video replay option permitted to allow officials to review the play.

"We were happy with how we played but the bottom line is that Creighton was the better team that day,' said Carlin.

Though both Williams and Haakenson again figure to be front and center when the Bluejays and Wildcats meet on Saturday night (8 p.m./BIG EAST Digital Network), the events of 2018 aren't especially relevant in Carlin's view.

"We've got five or six new guys out there, Creighton's got a new coach (Johnny Torres) and some new players of its own," Carlin stated. "This is a different year for both teams."

The two squads enter Saturday night's matchup with 5-2-1 overall records. Creighton got by Tulsa 4-3 in double overtime on Tuesday night while the Wildcats posted a 1-0 win over George Washington earlier in the day at the Higgins Soccer Complex. Creighton is 1-0 in BIG EAST action, having downed Marquette in its opener, while the 'Cats played to a 0-0 draw at DePaul on Sept. 20.

Williams (Plano, Texas) is having a stellar sophomore campaign, posting six shutouts and pacing the BIG EAST in goals against average (0.24). Haakenson, a senior, leads the Bluejays with four goals.

The Wildcats will again lean on a tested defensive core that includes senior backs Luca Mellor and Shane Bradley with junior Richie Schlentz and senior Sean Teixeira on the outside with help from junior Tommy Nealon. Freshmen Viktor Benediktsson and Josh Belluz have also been reliable in the defensive midfield.

Six of Villanova's eight games have ended with a 1-0 result.

Creighton leads the all-time series 4-2.

"Creighton's got a bunch of good players but our focus is on what we do," Carlin stated. "We talk all the time about winning the next moment, and this is the next moment for us this weekend. We're looking forward to the opportunity to face an outstanding team at a tough place to play."

This match will be streamed live from Morrison Stadium on the BIG EAST Digital Network. It can be viewed on Twitter (@BIGEASTChamps), YouTube
(youtube.com/BIGEASTConference) or Caffeine TV (www.caffeine.tv/bedn).