Women's Soccer Falls on the Road at Duquesne

Friday, September 8

Pittsburgh, Pa.

7 PM

Xavier University

3-3-1

Duquesne

3-2-0

Xavier

Duquesne

09.08.17 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

Westwater gets first Xavier tally; Musketeers return home to host NKU on Sunday

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

PITTSBURGH - Xavier women's soccer fell, 3-1, at Duquesne on Friday evening. After a scoreless first half, the Dukes tallied three times to take a 3-0 lead going into the final 15 minutes before Emma Westwater scored the first of her Xavier career to cut the deficit to two. Xavier moves to 3-3-1 on the year while Duquesne moved to 3-2-0.

HOW THEY SCORED

61' | DUQUESNE | DU's Katie O'Connor split a pair of Musketeer defenders on a breakaway, getting past Xavier goalkeeper Toni Bizzarro who came out for the sliding save, finishing on the open net.

67' | DUQUESNE | Lauren Bell put the Dukes up 2-0 after scoring from 18 yards out, straight away, off a pass from Deena DeBalo.

75' | DUQUESNE | Off a throw in, DU's Bell tapped the ball back to Kristen Kostopoulous, who served the ball to Ciara Guglielmo in the penalty box. Guglielmo finished to put DU up 3-0.

78' | XAVIER | After falling behind 3-0, the Musketeers got a goal back when Emma Westwater found a ball, misplayed by the DU goalkeeper, in the penalty box. Westwater poked it in to cut the lead to 3-1.

NOTABLE

Emma Westwater's goal in the 78th minute was her first at Xavier and the second of her college career. The junior transfer from Canisius also scored one for the Golden Griffins against Iona in 2016.
Westwater is the sixth Musketeers to have scored, making it 10 Musketeers who have recorded points.
Xavier led the offensive attack in the first half, taking 12 shots to three for the Dukes in the first 45 minutes, including seven looks on-fram. The Musketeers also forced four corner kicks in the first half. DU countered in the second half, taking eight shots to Xavier's six.
Courtney Lankford led the Musketeers with five shots, including a pair on-frame.
Toni Bizzarro collected five saves with three goal against, playing the full time for the Musketeers.
Lankford and Carly Alfano also played full time for the Muskeeters
Xavier moved to 3-3-1 overall and 0-2-0 on the road this season.

QUOTING COACH LIE

"Give credit to Duquesne, they're a very physical, hardworking team. I think we were great in the first half. We had positive energy and did all the things that can make us successful. We need to learn to punish other team's for mistakes and learn how to convert them to goals and be more impactful in the attacking third. In the second half, we knew the other team would come out in a new formation and attack, and I'm disappointed in how we responded. I think our display in the second half was careless and sloppy, and a bit embarrassing. We need to embrace and focus on the things that make us successful."

"We have another very challenging set of logistics heading into Sunday, turning around after a long trip home to play a team with two full-days' rest. Our formula for Sunday is simple, and the players are fully aware of what needs to be done. It's nothing tactical, it's all about heart and passion."

VIDEO

WATCH: Emma Westwater scores her first of the season against Duquesne. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/9hwGU0NLcC
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 9, 2017