No. 4 Seed Xavier Meets No. 2 Seed Georgetown in BIG EAST Championship Match on FS2

Sunday, November 12

Washington, D.C.

12 PM

Xavier University

No. 2 Georgetown

No. 4 Seed Xavier Meets No. 2 Seed Georgetown in BIG EAST Championship Match on FS2

11.09.17 | Men's Soccer

Championship Central Live Stats Watch (FS2)

The Musketeers knocked off Providence and top-seeded Butler to earn a spot in the title game for a second time in four seasons

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletic Communications

WASHINGTON, D.C. – No. 4 seed Xavier travels to No. 2 seed Georgetown for the BIG EAST Championships title round on Sunday, Nov. 12 at Shaw Field. First touch is scheduled for 12 p.m.

Sunday's championship bout will be broadcast on FS2 nationally and will also be available through the Fox Sports Go website and mobile app.

The Musketeers moved to 11-5-3 on Wednesday night, advancing past top-seeded Butler 4-1 in penalty kicks after playing to a 2-2 draw in double overtime at Butler's Sellick Bowl.

XU wrapped up a fourth-place league finish with a 5-4 league record this fall and is making a fifth-straight appearance in the BIG EAST Championships, having never missed the tournament as a member of the league.

The winner of the championship match will receive the BIG EAST's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, which begins on campus sites next week. The 2017 NCAA Tournament selection show is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 13 and will air live on NCAA.com.

THE OPPONENT

BIG EAST Championship Match
vs. GEORGETOWN HOYAS
Match Info: Sunday, Nov. 12 – 7 p.m. – Shaw Field
2017 Record: 13-3-2, 6-2-1 BIG EAST
Leading Scorers: Derek Dodson (9g, 2a), Achara (7g, 1a)

Notable:
• Georgetown forward Derek Dodson was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year after leading the Hoyas with nine goals this fall. GU was also represented on the All-BIG EAST First Team by senior captain Christopher Lema and junior defender Brendan McDonough.
• Junior JT Marcinkowski is among the best goalkeepers in the nation and started all 18 matches this year for Georgetown, posting a 0.65 goals against average with 58 saves and eight shutouts.
• The Hoyas are 9-1-1 at home this season.
• Coming off a disappointing season, Georgetown missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years last year. The Hoyas finished with a losing record after graduating the winningest senior class in school history. The Hoyas are just one year removed from a BIG EAST Championship and 16-2-3 season.
• Xavier leads the all-time series at 4-3, including an overtime 1-0 win on Sept. 16 in Cincinnati.
• XU also won the last meeting at Shaw Field, beating Georgetown 2-0 on Sept. 24, 2016 in Washington, D.C. Jalen Brown (34') and Matt Vasquenza (68') provided the goals for XU, which picked up its first-ever win at Shaw Field.
• Xavier and Georgetown meet in the BIG EAST Championships for the third time, having split the previous two meetings. XU advanced in the semifinals against the Hoyas back in 2014 and were knocked out of the playoffs at Shaw Field a year later in the semifinal. The two teams will meet in the finals for the first time.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

2017 BIG EAST Men's Soccer Championship
Presented By Jeep

First Round – Nov. 4 – BEDN
No. 6 Creighton at No. 3 St. John's – FINAL: St. John's 3, Creighton 1
No. 5 Providence at No. 4 Xavier – FINAL: Xavier 3, Providence 0

Semifinals – Wednesday, Nov. 8 – BEDN
No. 3 St. John's at No. 2 seed Georgetown – FINAL: Georgetown 2, St. John's 1
No. 4 Xavier at No. 1 seed Butler – FINAL: Xavier 2, Butler 2 (XU Advances 4-1 on PK's)

Final – Sunday, Nov. 12 – FS2
No. 4 Xavier at No. 2 Georgetown, 12 p.m.

All times Eastern - All games played at the higher seed

BIG (EAST) SUCCESS

• With a 5-4 record in 2017, Xavier is now 26-15-4 (.622) in BIG EAST play since joining the conference ahead of the 2013 season.
• The Musketeers have never finished below fifth-place or missed qualifying for the BIG EAST Championships. After an Oct. 28 win over Seton Hall, XU clinched its fifth straight appearance in the league tournament.
• Xavier reached the league semifinals in 2013 and 2015, while also appearing in the 2014 title match against Providence. Last season, XU was eliminated in the quarterfinal round at Creighton.

AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE

• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last seven seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Xavier was the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards from 2012-16, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.
• XU has qualified for five consecutive BIG EAST Championships, including trips to the title game in 2014 and 2017.
• XU has been ranked in the nation's top-10 three times in the last five years by the United Soccer Coaches.
• In 2015, XU knocked off the national No. 1 (Creighton) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) on the road last season. The Musketeers are widely believed to be the first program to ever knock off both a No. 1 and a No. 2 on the road in the same season.
• Three XU players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last six years, including 2017 second rounder Jalen Brown (38th overall).

TOURNAMENT TIME

• XU is 7-5-4 in conference tournaments under head coach Andy Fleming, winning Atlantic 10 Championships in 2010 and 2011.
• Sunday's match will be XU's fourth appearance in a conference championship match in eight years under Andy Fleming.
• The Musketeers are 3-4-1 in the BIG EAST Championships with one runner-up finish in 2014.
• Xavier improved to 2-0 at home in the league's postseason tournament after Saturday's 3-0 win over Providence.
• Xavier's highest-seed was No. 2 in 2014.
• XU is a No. 4 seed for the second time and is 2-1-1 in the tournament as the league's fourth seed.
• Since 2013, the No. 4 seed has reached the league's title bout four times in five tries.

XAVIER AGAINST THE BEST

• Xavier has faced 28 United Soccer Coaches-ranked opponents in the last seven years.
• Since 2010, Xavier boasts an 11-11-6 overall record against USC ranked opposition, including wins over No. 9 Georgetown and No. 22 Boston College this season. XU has also gotten results against No. 15 Kentucky and No. 15 Butler to post a 2-1-2 record against Top 25 opponents this season.
• The Musketeers are also an incredible 7-2-1 against the Top-10 in that time frame, including wins at No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 1 Creighton in 2015. In 2014, the Musketeers claimed victories against No. 5 Indiana and No. 8 Georgetown on the way to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 berth.

KEY STATS

STAT	XU	GEORGETOWN
Goals	36	32
Goals Allowed	24	12
Goals Per Game	1.89	1.78
Shots Per Game	13.3	15.8
Shots Allowed Per Game	12.1	9.8
Assists	38	31
Corner Kicks	143	105
Corner Kicks Allowed	67	64
Penalty Kicks	0-1	2-2
Yellow Cards	23	29
Red Cards	1	0

XU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

*National statistic rankings current through matches played on 11/8*

TEAM

STAT	RANK	#
Assists Per Game	16	2.00
Corner Kicks Per Game	1	7.53
Points Per Game	22	5.79
Scoring Offense	25	1.89
Shots Per Game	59	13.26
Shots On Goal Per Game	62	5.74
Total Assists	11	38
Total Goals	16	36
Total Points	14	110
W-L-T %	39	.658

INDIVIDUAL

NAME	STAT	RANK	#
Jacob Goodall	Assists Per Game	48	0.42
Simen Hestnes	Assists Per Game	75	0.37
Josh Grant	Assists Per Game	85	0.35
Jacob Goodall	Total Assists	17	8
Simen Hestnes	Total Assists	40	7
Josh Grant	Total Assists	69	6
Samson Sergi	Total Goals	43	9
Matt Vasquenza	Total Goals	65	8
Simen Hestnes	Total Goals	97	7
Simen Hestnes	Total Points	62	21
Matt Vasquenza	Total Points	70	20
Samson Sergi	Total Points	80	19
Matt Vasquenza	Shots on Goal Per Game	58	1.42

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier advanced to the title match after a double overtime draw against No. 1 seed Butler on Wednesday night, beating the Bulldogs 4-1 in penalty kicks.
• The match was scoreless for 73 minutes before four goals were scored in an 11 minute span to force a 2-2 draw at the end of regulation.
• XU had a 21-10 advantage in shots and an 11-4 edge in shots on goal. Xavier also had a 13-3 lead in corner kick opportunities and has now out-cornered its opposition 143-67.
• Cory Brown's second half goal was the first of his season, while Matt Vasquenza's was his eighth. The senior forward is now tied with his career-high with 20 points this season.
• Sean Wilson and Derrick Otim both registered their first assist of the season.
• The Musketeers converted all four of their penalty kicks, advancing on PK's for the first time since the 2012 Atlantic 10 Tournament Semifinals.

XAVIER WHEN...

WHEN	RECORD
Outshooting Opponent	8-2-2
Shots Even	1-0-0
Outshot	3-3-1
After A Win	6-2-3
After A Loss	4-1-0
After A Tie	1-1-0
Scoring 0 Goals	0-1-0
Scoring 1 Goal	2-4-2
Scoring 2 Goals	2-0-1
Scoring 3 Goals	6-0-0
Scoring 4 Goals	1-0-0
Taking More Corners Than Opponent	10-4-2
Taking Less Corners Than Opponent	1-1-1
Leading At Half	7-1-0
Trailing At Half	1-3-0
Tied At Half	3-1-3

MULTI-GOAL/ASSIST MATCHES

DATE	OPPONENT	PLAYER	POINTS
Aug. 27	Drake	Josh Grant	2 (2 A)
Aug. 27	Drake	Jacob Goodall	2 (2 A)
Sept. 1	at Harvard	Simen Hestnes	4 (2 G)
Sept. 1	at Harvard	Matt Vasquenza	2 (2 A)
Sept. 4	at Boston College	Simen Hestnes	3 (1 G, 1 A)
Sept. 30	Providence	Samson Sergi	4 (2 G)
Sept. 30	Providence	Matt Vasquenza	3 (1 G, 1 A)
Oct. 3	Detroit	Matt Vasquenza	4 (2 G)
Oct. 25	DePaul	Jacob Goodall	3 (1 G, 1 A)
Nov. 4	Providence	Samson Sergi	4 (2 G)
Nov. 4	Providence	Simen Hestnes	3 (1 G, 1 A)

SHUTOUTS

DATE	OPPONENT	GOALKEEPER	SCORE	SHOTS FACED/SAVES
Aug. 27	Drake	Nelson (1)	3-0	5/1
Sept. 1	at Harvard	Nelson (2)	3-0	7/3
Sept. 16	#9 Georgetown	Nelson (3)	1-0 (OT)	16/3
Oct. 21	Marquette	Hanley (1)	1-0	10/2
Oct. 25	DePaul	Hanley (2)	2-0	9/3
Nov. 4	Providence	Hanley (3)	3-0	17/3

RECORD WATCH

TEAM ASSISTS (SEASON)

#	YEAR	ASSISTS
1.	2012	58
2.	1998	45
3.	1994	41
4.	2014	39
5.	1988	38
	2017	38
6.	1992	37
	2011	37

TEAM POINTS (SEASON)

#	YEAR	POINTS
1.	2012	156
2.	1994	149
3.	1998	139
4.	1992	135
5.	1979	114
	2017	110

TEAM GOALS AGAINST AVG. (SEASON)

#	YEAR	GAA
1.	2014	0.84
2.	2011	0.85
3.	2015	0.87
4.	2010	0.91
5.	2013	0.96
6.	2012	1.00
7.	2017	1.20

* Each of the program's top-seven GAA records have been set by Andy Fleming's teams.

TEAM WINS (SEASON)

#	YEAR	WINS
1.	2014	15
2.	2012	14
3.	1994	12
	2011	12
	2015	12
6.	1988	11
	1979	11
	2017	11

TEAM SHUTOUTS (SEASON)

#	YEAR	WINS
1.	2014	11
2.	2010	10
3.	2015	9
	2011	8
	2002	8
6.	2012	7
	2007	6
	2008	6
	2017	6

NOTABLE

• XU finished its home schedule 8-1 at XU Soccer Complex this year and with an eight-match winning streak. XU last lost at home on Friday, August 25 against Loyola.
• XU head coach Andy Fleming is 84-39-21 (.656) since 2010 and is Xavier soccer's all-time winningest coach. The Musketeers have won at least eight matches in all eight of his seasons at the helm.
• Xavier's four goals against Providence earlier this fall set a new team record for a BIG EAST match.
• XU's seven match unbeaten streak this season was its longest since a nine-match spurt from 9/20-10/29, 2014.

POSTSEASON AWARDS

• Xavier had six players recognized by the BIG EAST following the regular season, the second-most awards in the league behind Georgetown's seven.
• Cory Brown was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team for a third straight season, while Simen Hestnes, Cam Taylor and Matt Vasquenza all earned All-BIG EAST Second Team nods.
• Additionally, Samuel Buzzas and Zach Nelson were nominated to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
• The six awards tied a program record from 2014.
• XU was shut out of the major awards for the first time since 2012, snapping a stretch of five consecutive years with a postseason player of the year honor.

CORNERING THE MARKET

• The Musketeers generated a season-high 20 corner kicks against Seton Hall on Oct. 28 and hold a 143-67 corner kick advantage over their opponents this season.
• XU ranks first in the BIG EAST and first nationally in corner kicks per match (7.53).

KEEPING BALANCED

• Sporting a typically-balanced offensive attack, 13 players have recorded a point for Xavier this fall.
• 12 different Musketeers have recorded an assist this season and four XU players have six or more goals (Matt Vasquenza, Cam Taylor, Samson Sergi, Simen Hestnes).
• An impressive six different players have 10 points or more, including Matt Vasquenza (18), Simen Hestnes (21), Samson Sergi (19), Cam Taylor (15), Jacob Goodall (10) and Josh Grant (10).
• XU has had multiple 10-point scorers in eight straight seasons under Andy Fleming, including six this season as well as four in a season four different times.

VASQUENZA MAKES HIS MARK

• Senior forward Matt Vasquenza has been one of the team's go-to scorers throughout his career and is starting to make his mark in the program's all-time record book.
• Vasquenza currently has 67 points in career and tied Josh Hammerschmidt (1997-00) for eighth all-time with his goal on Wednesday night against Butler.
• Vasquenza passed Vladimir Ciric (1995-96) with his goal in the semifinals and is now tied for eighth with 25 career tallies.
• His assist against Butler on Nov. 1 moved him into a tie for ninth all-time at Xavier with 17 career helpers.
• Vasquenza has come up in big moments consistently in an XU uniform and has three game-winners this season.

XU MEN'S SOCCER INDIVIDUAL CAREER RECORDS

POINTS

#	NAME	YEARS	POINTS
1.	Doug Tegge	1991-94	129
2.	Tom Holton	1988-91	108
3.	Luke Spencer	2009-12	79
4.	Maurice Schilten	1994-95	76
	Matt Walker	2010-13	76
6.	Koen Kuiken	1997-00	71
7.	Jim Sandmann	1972-82	69
8.	Josh Hammerschmidt	1997-00	67
	Matt Vasquenza	2014-Present	67
10.	Charlie Combs	1991-94	64
11.	Will Walker	2011-14	59
12.	Mike Mossel	1992-93	58
13.	Martin Hernandez	1984-87	55

GOALS

#	NAME	YEARS	GOALS
1.	Doug Tegge	1991-94	51
2.	Tom Holton	1988-91	49
3.	Koen Kuiken	1997-00	30
4.	Jim Sandman	1972-82	29
	Luke Spencer	2009-12	29
6.	Maurice Schilten	1994-95	26
	Matt Walker	2010-13	26
8.	Mike Mossel	1992-93	25
	Matt Vasquenza	2014-Present	25
9.	Vladimir Ciric	1995-96	24
10.	Charlie Combs	1991-94	23

ASSISTS

#	Name	Years	Assists
1.	Josh Hammerschmidt	1997-00	29
2.	Doug Tegge	1991-94	27
3.	Maurice Schildten	1994-95	24
	Matt Walker	2010-13	24
5.	Will Walker	2011-14	23
6.	Luke Spencer	2009-12	21
7.	Rob Bakker	1998-01	19
8.	Charlie Combs	1991-94	18
9.	John McVey	1979-81	17
	Matt Vasquenza	2014-Present	17
11.	David Spaccarelli	1997-98	15
	Martin Hernandez	1984-87	15

CORY COLLECTS ACCOLADES

Senior defender Cory Brown, a native of Nelson, New Zealand, has collected an impressive list of awards this season, adding to his collection:

BROWN'S 2017 HONORS
• All-BIG EAST First Team
• MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
• Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (second straight season)
• Unanimous selection to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
• Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI Second Team
• College Soccer News Preseason All-America Second Team
• No. 13 on Top Drawer Soccer list of best players in college soccer

2017 HONORS

NAME	BIG EAST AWARDS (Date)	RELEASE
Cam Taylor	BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (8/28)	Link
Simen Hestnes	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/11)	Link
Cam Taylor	BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (9/18)	Link
Zach Nelson	BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week (9/18)	Link
Samson Sergi	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/18)	Link
Samson Sergi	BIG EAST Player of the Week (10/2)	Link
Zach Nelson	BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (10/2)	Link
Matt Vasquenza	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/9)	Link
Josh Grant	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/23)	Link
Colin Hanley	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/23)	Link
Sam Buzzas	BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (10/30)	Link
Matt Vasquenza	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/30)	Link
	NATIONAL AWARDS (Date)
Samson Sergi	College Soccer News National Team of the Week (9/18)	Link
Cam Taylor	United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week (9/19)	Link
Cam Taylor	NCAA Soccer National Player of the Week (9/20)	Link

GETTING UP OFF THE MAT

• Xavier has bounced back after losses consistently under head coach Andy Fleming, including a 3-0 win over Drake, a 4-1 win over Providence, a 1-0 win against Marquette and a 3-0 win against Providence this fall.
• Since 2010, XU has compiled a record of 24-11-4 (.667) after a loss.

WHAT'S BACK

• Xavier returns 19 letterwinners and seven starters from last season's team, including its leading scorer in Matt Vasquenza and top defender in Cory Brown.
• The roster consists of eight freshmen, 10 sophomores, seven juniors and four seniors. 10 of those players are newcomers to the roster, including transfers Sean Wilson (UNC) and Simen Hestnes (LIU Brooklyn).
• XU's leading scorer in 2016, Matt Vasquenza brings back 17 career goals and should reach the top-10 in program history with another productive season.
• XU's typically-balanced offense saw 11 players record an assist or score a goal last season. Seven players who contributed points last season return to this year's roster, although senior Matt Nance (3g, 4a) will miss the season with an injury.
• The senior class of Cory Brown, Matt Vasquenza, Matt Nance and Josh Grant have led the team to a 35-20-6 (.623) record since 2014.
• The Musketeers bring back 59.3 percent (16-of-27) of their scoring and 59.8 percent (52-of-87) of their points.

BIG EAST POSTSEASON HONORS

BIG EAST Co-Offensive Players of the Year
Brandon Guhl, Butler, So., F
Ricky Lopez-Espin, Creighton, Sr., F

BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year
Harry Cooksley, St. John's, Sr., M

BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
David Enstrom, St. John's, Sr., D

BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Eric Dick, Butler, RS-Sr.

BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Derek Dodson, Georgetown, Fr., F

BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
Butler (Head Coach Paul Snape)

All-BIG EAST First Team
Brandon Guhl, Butler, So., F *
Ricky Lopez-Espin, Creighton, Sr., F *
Mac Steeves, Providence, RS-Sr., F
Harry Cooksley, St. John's, Sr., M
Christopher Lema, Georgetown, Sr., M
Lewis Suddick, Butler, So., M
Cory Brown, Xavier, Sr., D
David Enstrom, St. John's, Sr., D
Brendan McDonough, Georgetown, Jr., D
Lucas Stauffer, Creighton, Sr., D
Eric Dick, Butler, RS-Sr., GK

All-BIG EAST Second Team
Derek Dodson, Georgetown, Fr., F
Declan McCabe, Georgetown, Sr., F
Matt Vasquenza, Xavier, Sr., F
Andres Arcila, Seton Hall, Jr., M
Noah Franke, Creighton, Sr., M
Simen Hestnes, Xavier, Jr., M
Luka Prpa, Marquette, So., M
Shane Bradley, Villanova, So., D
Joe Moulden, Butler, Jr., D
Cameron Taylor, Xavier, RS-Jr., D
JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, Jr., GK

BIG EAST All-Freshman Team
Kuba Polat, Creighton, Fr., M *
Istvan Wilhelms, DePaul, Fr., M
Derek Dodson, Georgetown, Fr., F *
Jacob Montes, Georgetown, Fr., M *
Sean O'Hearn, Georgetown, Fr., D
Manuel Cukaj, Marquette, Fr., D
Matt DePerro, Providence, RS-Fr., F
Jack Shearer, St. John's, Fr., F *
Theo Quartey, Villanova, Fr., M
Samuel Buzzas, Xavier, RS-Fr., D
Zach Nelson, Xavier, RS-Fr., GK

* - denotes unanimous selection

BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL

1. Providence (9) – 81 pts.
2. Creighton (1) – 70
3. Butler – 68
4. Villanova – 52
5. Georgetown – 46
6. Xavier – 45
7. Marquette – 30
8. St. John's – 27
9. DePaul – 21
10. Seton Hall – 10

First place votes in ( )

PRESEASON WRAP-UP

• Xavier ended the 2017 preseason with a 1-1-1 record, including a 3-0 win over Marian (Ind.) and a 1-1 draw against ACC foe Duke.
• In the result against Duke, XU outshot the Blue Devils 15-6 and had a 12-5 edge in corners.
• Matt Vasquenza scored goals in all three preseason games after scoring in each of the Musketeers' spring matches as well, giving him a goal in nine straight exhibitions.

HOLES TO FILL

• Midfielders Jalen Brown and Majed Osman departed after combining for 107 shots and eight goals last season. Both offensive weapons made 19 starts and leave big shoes to fill in the Musketeer midfield.
• Another midfielder, Walker Andriot, transferred to Louisville for his final season of eligibility after contributing a goal and three assists in 19 starts last season.
• Longtime stalwart Todd Pratzner graduated after making 70 career starts at center back for XU.
• In addition to player turnover, XU has an entirely new look on the sidelines with David Costa, Kevin Reiman and Jamie Starr all new additions to the coaching staff. Starr returns to XU as goalkeepers coach after spending over a year with the USL club FC Cincinnati.