CHICAGO, Ill. – A tight battle here in the Windy City ended in a 3-3 draw between Villanova and DePaul Saturday afternoon at Wish Field.
 
The tie ended hopes for both teams to latch on to the eighth and final spot in the BIG EAST Tournament on what was Decision Day across the league. The addition of Akron in 2023 brought league membership to 12, allowing all schools to compete at the same time on the final day of the conference campaign.
 
By virtue of a 1-0 win over Providence, Seton Hall moved into the last available slot in the event which begins on Saturday, Nov. 4.
 
"We fought all the way to the end," said Villanova head coach Tom Carlin. "We had five or six high quality chances there in the last 15 minutes. But they just wouldn't go in."
 
Villanova gained the early edge when Luke Martelli dribbled along the left side and sent a feed ahead towards the frame. Junior O'Neil Dawes re-directed the ball inside the left post past DePaul goalkeeper Gandhi Cruz to push the 'Cats on top. Dominic Cyriacks also was credited with an assist on the goal.
 
But DePaul had a quick response. Kristian Malinich sent a ball into the middle that found the Blue Demons' Marek Gonda, who tucked the ball inside the right post at 4:03 to level matters at one.
 
The Wildcats reclaimed the lead at 22:15 as freshman Belmar Joseph and senior Branden Johns' connected. Johns notched his fourth goal of 2023 off a right-footed blast that beat Cruz to hand Nova back the lead.
 
After a shot by Malinich hit the right post in the 36^th minute, the Villanova clearance led to a corner kick for the Blue Demons. Callum Watts's corner found Gonda, who re-directed the feed with his head past Kent Dickey into the top shelf of the goal at 35:22 to knot the contest at two.
 
The match remained deadlocked at two at halftime.
 
The Blue Demons went on top for the first time on this overcast day early in the second half. Liam Mullins dribbled in on the right side and slid a pass ahead to Christian Baumgartner. Baumgartner then used his left foot to send a shot along the artificial surface that went into the net just inside the left post at 47:37.
 
A short while later, Villanova answered. Following a team save on a dangerous DePaul attempt off a corner kick, the Wildcats mounted a counterattack that led to Joseph making a short pass to Saunders on the right side. With his left foot of the junior fed a ball over the head of Cruz inside the left post at 48:55 to tie this one up again.
 
The goal was the fifth of the season for Saunders, tying him with Vincent Petrera for the team lead in that category.
 
With the game tied DePaul's Malinich was assessed a red card at 69:39, putting the Blue Demons down a man the rest of the way.
 
A Saunders blast in the 79^th minute was on frame but saved by Cruz. Shots by Joseph and Petrera soon followed but neither was on net. Martelli also had a chance and a bid from Gray Ricca hit the post.
 
"When they went down a man, we really were able to apply some attacking pressure in the final third," Carlin stated. "We were right there but couldn't get one across the line. In the end it wouldn't have mattered (in the race for the postseason), but we really worked to make it happen.
 
"I loved this (Decision Day). It made it fun and very competitive with so much on the line on the final day of the Big East season."
 
The Wildcats will remain in Chicagoland to face UIC in the regular season finale Monday at 2 p.m. eastern time.