Women's Soccer Falls to Defending Champs DePaul in BIG EAST Opener

Saturday, September 26

Cincinnati, Ohio

2 P.M.

Xavier University

0-1-05-4-1; BE

DePaul

1-0-07-2-2; BE

DEPAUL

Xavier

Photo by: Bob Stevens

Women's Soccer Falls to Defending Champs DePaul in BIG EAST Opener

09.26.15 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – The Xavier women's soccer team opened up its conference schedule with one of the toughest tests the BIG EAST has, facing the 2014 champions DePaul. The Musketeers fell, 4-0, after the Blue Demons scored a pair in each half at the XU Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon.

"Give credit where credit was due, DePaul was at a different level today and they are a special team," said head coach Woody Sherwood. "There's a positive and a negative to playing arguably the top team in the conference in the opening game. Our youngsters see just exactly what the level is at the top of the conference. The downside is that you never want to take a 4-0 loss to open up play."

The Musketeers opened the game with a dangerous chance with Kenadie Carlson taking the ball to the top of the box on a breakaway less than five minutes into the game. Carlson's shot from 18 yards out was collected by DePaul's diving keeper to keep the score knotted at zero.

The match remained scoreless for much of the first half, until DU's Franny Cerny scored in the 36th minute to give the Blue Demons the 1-0 lead.

Shortly after the Blue Demons scored, freshman Samantha Dewey created another chance for the Musketeers, receiving the ball just outside of the box. Dewey's shot from left side was blocked by a DePaul defender to keep the Blue Demons up, 1-0.

Just before the break, junior goalkeeper Rachel Piccus made a diving stop on a DePaul shot on the right side of the net, but the ball ricocheted to DU's Elise Wyatt on the left side of the box, who knocked the ball in to put DePaul up, 2-0, with less than two minutes remaining until halftime.

Midway through the second half, DePaul's Cerny and Jessie Smith each added a goal to set the final score at 4-0 in favor of the Blue Demons.

Piccus collected eight saves on the day to bring her total to 60 saves on the season. Carlson, Dewey and sophomore Skylar Groth led the Musketeers in shots, each finding a good look against a DePaul team that has only given up five goals this season.

"I think it became clear as you watched the game that DePaul is a team that has four years of recruiting classes towards the BIG EAST and we have our first BIG EAST recruiting class here on campus this year," said Sherwood. "We have a pretty tough opening with the first couple games in the BIG EAST, but I think our kids will take a positive out of negative today and we'll put a good product on the field Thursday night."

The Musketeers return to action on Thursday, Oct. 1, when Xavier hosts Providence at 6:30 p.m. at the XU Soccer Complex. Live stats will be available through GoXavier.com and live streaming video will be available through the BIG EAST Digital Network.