VILLANOVA, Pa. – A busy month of October for the Villanova Men's Soccer Team continues Wednesday when the Wildcats host DePaul at the Higgins Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 3:05 p.m.
 
The match will be live streamed via the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by Flo Sports.
 
The Wildcats are 8-5 overall, 4-3 BIG EAST after falling Saturday to Georgetown. Villanova won its first four BIG EAST regular season games for the first time in program history before finding the going rougher lately, dropping its last three. Yet the vibe remains very positive according to head coach Tom Carlin.
 
"This is a challenging conference," stated Carlin. "The RPI reflects that. When we got off to the good start, we kept focusing on getting better every day, not the results. That's the same approach we're taking now."
 
The Wildcats enter Wednesday's action in third place the league standings (12 points), trailing only the Hoyas (15 points) and Providence (14). DePaul comes to Villanova with a 6-6-1 overall record, 2-3-1 BIG EAST.
 
These two sides did not meet in the 2020 campaign, played last spring due to the COViD-19 pandemic, as the BIG EAST shifted to regional play for that single season. In 2019 the Wildcats and Blue Demons played a 0-0 draw in Chicago. Villanova claimed a 1-0 victory over DePaul on Sept. 29, 2018 in the last matchup at the Higgins Soccer Complex.
 
Villanova holds a 9-4-3 edge in the all-time series.
 
The Wildcats have been without a key part of their lineup, junior midfielder Josh Belluz, over the last three games. The native of Toronto was injured late in the first half of Villanova's 1-0 overtime win at Connecticut on Oct. 9.
 
Ironically, the Wildcats will travel to Chicago themselves this weekend. Villanova plays its final non-league match of the fall 2021 campaign Sunday at Northwestern University, where Carlin once served as an assistant coach. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. eastern time Sunday.