VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova got back into the win column with its 11
th shutouts of the season on Wednesday night, picking up a 3-0 victory over DePaul at Higgins Soccer Complex.
The win paired with other results in the league gives Villanova (10-1-5, 5-1-2) its first berth into the BIG EAST Tournament field since 2019. It is also the program's first 10-win season since that same year when the team went 10-7-3, 5-3-1 in the BIG EAST and made a BIG EAST Tournament appearance. The last time the program reached the 10-win mark in the regular season was in 2009 when the team entered the postseason with an 11-4-4 record.
With this win and other results from around the league on Wednesday, Villanova clinched a spot in the BIG EAST Tournament
"It was very important for the players to see what they are capable of," head coach
Samar Azem said. "I didn't think we played bad at Butler; it was a good lesson, as Dez (Zapata) said, there were a lot of lessons there. For the team to see they're capable of dominating a very good DePaul team and for these two (Zapata and
Morgan Kotch) to get us on the scoreboard early and show that we're going to take control, I love that the players got to see that."
Villanova has now shutout DePaul (4-6-6, 1-4-3) in back-to-back meetings, extending its unbeaten streak in the series to three straight matches with a 12-10-2 advantage all-time.
Morgan Kotch and
Dez Zapata led the scoring effort for the Blue and White, logging a goal and an assist each. The duo has been on a scoring frenzy in three of the last four games, playing a hand in each of Villanova's eight goals scored in that stretch. Kotch has scored four goals with one assist while Zapata has netted three goals and accounted for two assists.
Kotch started the scoring early for the Wildcats with a link up with Zapata in the eighth minute. Zapata battled a pair of Blue Demons near the corner before getting space to dash into the 18-yard box and make a pass in tat found Kotch just outside the right post. She punched in a quick right-footed boot to get past Mason Hillery for a 1-0 lead. The goal is the sixth of the year for the junior forward.
Two minutes later, it was Zapata's turn to move the net. Kotch had a quick touch to
Gabby Koluch that the junior midfielder immediately pushed ahead to a darting Zapata. She picked up the pass near the top of the box and fired a shot toward the back left of the net to double the lead, 2-0. The junior striker is up to six goals this season, as well.
DePaul had a couple of chances in the 30
th and 31
st minutes but
Meredith Palmer came up with a crucial block followed by a save near the left post from
Hannah Dickinson on a Dory Latenser shot to keep the Wildcat lead in place.
By the break, Villanova was outshooting DePaul 7-5 with a slim 3-2 lead for shots on frame.
Amalia Cardo netted the dagger in the 66
th minute. A deep throw into the box from
Ambyr Baker went toward Kotch who tried to get a chance behind some Blue Demons, but the ball hit off of one of them. Cardo came charging in on the redirect to send a one-timer that hit off a DePaul defender in front of the goal to go into the net and make it a 3-0 Blue and White lead.
Kotch led all players with six shots in the win as Villanova outshot DePaul 15-6. The Wildcat defense did not allow a shot on goal throughout the second half, ending with a 7-2 lead there. Katelyn Haiser led DePaul with two shots.
In goal, Dickinson needed just two saves in the win. Her ninth shutout of the season brings her to 23 in her time as Wildcat, giving her sole possession of third-most in program history.
Villanova hits the road this Saturday to take on Marquette at 2 p.m.
