Women's Soccer Falls at Butler to Close Out Strongest BIG EAST Campaign Yet

Friday, October 30

Indianapolis, Ind.

7 P.M.

Xavier University

8-9-1, 3-6BIG EAST

Butler

13-6-1, 6-3BIG EAST

Xavier

Butler

Photo by: Doug Cochran

Women's Soccer Falls at Butler to Close Out Strongest BIG EAST Campaign Yet

10.30.15 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

2015 Musketeers' 28 total goals marks most tallies since 2006

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

INDIANAPOLIS – Skylar Groth's third goal of the season came against one of the stingiest defenses in the BIG EAST in Butler, putting the Xavier women's soccer team in a position to close out the season with a win, and a winning record. The Bulldogs responded with a pair of goals, ending the Xavier season with a record of 8-9-1 overall and 3-6-0 in the BIG EAST.

"There's a reason why Butler is one of the top couple teams in the conference and we saw it today," said head coach Woody Sherwood after the match. "I really liked how we tried to play; we just gave the ball away too often in the final third, so we couldn't create chances."

Xavier took the 1-0 lead in the 16^th minute, after Samantha Dewey played the ball ahead from midfield. Kenadie Carlson sped past the Butler defense, playing the ball into the 18-yard box. Carlson crossed from the right side of the net to Skylar Groth who was streaking up the center of the field. Groth finished from the center of the box for her third goal of the season. Carlson's assist was her fourth of the season.

Butler answered in the 34^th minute after Butler leading scorer Halle Stelbasky found a clean look at the goal to tie the match, 1-1. The draw lasted until the 73rd minute when BU's Jamison Midgley scored from 20 yards out to put the Bulldogs up, 2-1.

"They may be the hardest team in the conference to break down defensively," said Sherwood. "They've got a couple special players. That said we created one great chance, and a couple other half chances that Butler made some plays on to prevent good looks for us. Special thanks to our seniors as we wrap up the year."

The 2015 Musketeers' eight wins more than doubles the wins from the 2014 season. Among those were three BIG EAST wins, marking the most in conference competition since the Musketeers moved to the BIG EAST in 2013. Xavier finishes in seventh place in the conference, the best finish for the Musketeers in BIG EAST competition and just one spot out of contention for the BIG EAST Championships.

Xavier's 28 goals marks the highest offensive output for the program in nearly a decade, the most since a 31-goal effort from the 2006 squad. Xavier's team total of 31 assists matches the 2005 and 1984 teams for the second most in school history.

Individually, the 2015 squad made its mark on the XU record books as well. Freshman Samantha Dewey's eight assists is the fifth most in a single season in XU records. Rachel Piccus' 119 saves rates as the fifth most for a single-season total in Xavier history. Piccus' six complete shutouts match Katie Markesbery's 2011 record for fourth most in Musketeer history.

Piccus also collected eight wins, which matches Markesbery for the most in a single-season in the Xavier record book.

As a team, the Musketeers' eight shutouts match the 2013 team for the fourth most in Xavier history while the Musketeer's goals against average of 1.20 is the fifth-best in XU records.