BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- The Illinois Wesleyan University men's soccer team faces one of its biggest challenges of the year as it travels to North Central College Wednesday, Oct. 22. In the midst of a three-game win streak, the Titans represent a 10-2-2 record collecting 12 CCIW points with their 4-1 mark. The pivotal College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin match is slated for 7:30 p.m. at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. 

IWU featured a dominant offensive attack last time out in a 3-nil win against Elmhurst University Saturday, Oct 18. The Titans registered 37 shots with 11 of them on goal and three finding the back of the net. Leading goal getters sophomore Ben Lyons (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) and junior Matthew Perchik (Glenview, Ill.-New Trier) added to their season totals with a goal each. Lyons now leads the team with six goals and 14 points, while Perchik keeps tabs one goal behind with 12 points. Sandwiched between the two is junior Ryder Coleman (Bannockburn, Ill-Deerfield) with 13 points, four goals, and a team-leading five assists. Freshman Hunter Reinberg (Washington, Mo.-St. Francis Borgia) delivered the best week of his collegiate career, cashing in two goals and an assist over the past two games.

Senior goalkeeper Sam Kedzior (Cary, Ill.-Cary-Grove) has continued his stellar season as one of the most reliable netminders in the CCIW. His 1.015 goals against average sets the standard at first in the league, while save percentage (.794) and shutouts (two) rank second.

North Central has battled to a 7-1-6 record overall and a 3-0-2 mark in league play. On its own pitch, NCC is 4-0-3 including a win over previous-ranked No. 23 Illinois Institute of Technology. Leading the attack for the Cardinals is freshman Joseph Sargent. The forward is tied for first in the CCIW with 12 goals, including three braces, to go along with an assist to rake in 25 points. The Cardinals have platooned three different netminders this season with freshman Vincent Stanislao starting the past two games. Sophomores Daniel Szalai and Lucas Visser round out the keeper carousel with Szalai recording the most minutes in net at 913:16.

The Illinois Wesleyan-North Central rivalry first began in 1986, with NCC leading the series 21-14-5. IWU has dropped the last five matches including last year's 2-1 decision. The last Titan win came Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019 when they pulled off a slim 1-nil overtime victory in Naperville, Ill. 

The Green and White put its unbeaten 6-0-1 record away from Neis Field to the test Wednesday with kickoff arranged for 7:30 p.m. in Naperville. Live stats will be available here to go along with a live stream found here.