Look what happens when the men's soccer team does not have to play short handed.

Two days after losing a pair of players because of red cards and still managing a 0-0 tie at Northern Illinois, the Golden Eagles defeated host DePaul 3-0 Saturday in their final exhibition game of the season.

Junior forward Matt Blouin got the scoring started when he found the back of the net at 12:28. Senior midfielder Blair Kohlmeyer added an insurance goal off an assist from Mike Carlson and freshman forward Duncan Silvert-Noftle tallied the third goal at 66:27 thanks to an assist from Blouin.

"Matt Blouin is going to show people how good he is this year," Kohlmeyer said. "He scored (six) goals in the last eight games last year. … He's gonna put the ball in the back of the net and do it a lot."

The offensive outburst is a good sign on multiple fronts for the Golden Eagles entering Friday's season opener at Ohio State.

Three goals from three different players provides hope there will not be a repeat of last season when Marquette was shut out in its first three games and hints the team can overcome the graduation of Chris Lee, who scored 35 goals during his career.

It also suggests that this year's team is much improved from the 2004 squad that lost 2-1 in overtime at DePaul Oct. 20.

During Thursday's game in DeKalb, Ill., it was the defense's turn to take center stage.

Carlson, a sophomore defender, accumulated two yellow cards and was ejected with 34:56 to play giving Northern Illinois a man advantage. Twenty minutes later freshman midfielder Dan Addis was issued a red card and sent off.

"After the game coach said he was an MLS ref," Kohlmeyer said. "In the MLS they really call a tight game. Anything from behind is a red. They weren't good tackles, but we didn't think they were reds."

Despite having an 11 v. 9 advantage for the final 13:51, the Huskies could not get the ball past the Golden Eagle back line and sophomore goalkeeper Andy Kroll.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on August 29, 2005.