Men's Soccer Hosts No. 18 Creighton in Pivotal Wednesday Night Showdown

Wednesday, October 26

XU Soccer Complex

7 p.m.

Xavier University

No. 18/11/17 Creighton

Men's Soccer Hosts No. 18 Creighton in Pivotal Wednesday Night Showdown

10.25.16 | Men's Soccer

Musketeers look to snap two-match losing streak, solidify spot in BIG EAST Tournament with just three regular season games remaining

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletics Communication

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's soccer faces the top team in the BIG EAST Conference on Wednesday night, hosting No. 18 Creighton in a pivotal match with just three tilts remaining on the regular season schedule.

The Musketeers (7-5-3, 3-2-1) have followed a season-best four match unbeaten streak with two straight losses over the past week, dropping the team from second to fourth in the league standings. XU has not lost three straight since the beginning of the 2013 season.

Creighton (8-3-3, 4-1-1) is in the driver's seat in the BIG EAST standings, but has also had a couple hiccups over the last two weeks, including losses in two of its past three.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-5-3, 3-2-1 BIG EAST CONFERENCE)
vs. No. 17/18 CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (8-3-3, 4-1-1 BIG EAST CONFERENCE)
Match Info: Wednesday, Oct. 26 – 7 p.m. – XU Soccer Complex
Follow: Live Stats | Watch (BEDN) | @XavierMSOC

PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS

• Breast Cancer Awareness Game – pink thunder sticks to the first 250 fans in attendance.
• Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night – all faculty and staff receive four tickets when present All Card at the ticket tent.
• 1,000 FREE Spicy Balls courtesy of Dana Gardens for students while supplies last.

ABOUT CREIGHTON

2016 Record: 8-3-3 (4-1-1 BIG EAST Conference)
Last Result: L, 1-0 at Villanova on Saturday, Oct. 22
Key Players: Riggs Lennon (9 G, 59 SH), Ricky Lopez-Espin (4 G, 1 A, 31 SH), Joel Rydstrand (2 G, 4 A, 21 SH)
In Goal: Alex Kapp (14 GS, 9 GA, 0.61 GAA, 50 SV, 6 SHO)

Notable:
• Creighton enters the matchup ranked No. 18 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll. The Bluejays are also ranked 17th by Top Drawer Soccer and 11th by College Soccer News.
• The Bluejays have outshot opponents 237-143 (16.9-10.2) this season, including a 94-59 edge in shots on goal.
• CU hasn't lost consecutive matches since the end of the 2013 season and boasts a 7-0-1 record after a loss over the past three seasons.
• Creighton leads the all-time series 2-1-1. All five meetings between the two programs have come since both joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
• Xavier and Creighton played to a 1-1 draw in the only meetting in Cincinnati, which came on Oct. 18, 2014.
• Matt Vasquenza buried the game-winner with 1:13 to go in the last meeting, helping Xavier to the highest-ranked victory in program history with a 2-1 decision against then-No. 1 Creighton on October 28, 2015. CU was the nation's last unbeaten and untied team in the nation at the time.
• The Bluejays have appeared in 23 of the last 24 NCAA Tournaments, including 17 straight from 1992-2008. CU has made five appearances in the College Cup (1996, 2000, 2002, 2011, 2012) overall and has gone to four Elite Eight's in the last five years.
• Head coach Elmar Bolowich enters his sixth season in 2016 and has amassed an 90-25-12 record at Creighton.

PLAYIN' IN A TRAVELING BAND

• Last Tuesday's home match at Xavier Soccer Complex was just the Musketeers' second true home match of the season after playing six straight matches off campus during field repairs.
• The Xavier Soccer Complex was temporarily unplayable due to severe flooding in and around the Norwood area in late August.
• XU's is 1-1 overall in true home matches, beating Evansville 3-1 back on Friday, Aug. 26 and falling 1-0 against SIUE on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
• Despite the challenge of playing away from XU Soccer Compex, XU went 4-0-2 in home matches away from home. The Musketeers drew with Dartmouth at UC on Sept. 5 and then ran off four "home" wins, including victories against Cincinnati (at NKU), DePaul (at UC), St. John's (at Walnut Hills HS) and Belmont (at NKU). On Saturday, Oct. 15, Xavier drew with Villanova 2-2 in its final match at Gettler Stadium.
• During the homeless stretch, the Musketeers competed at UC's Gettler Stadium three times, NKU Soccer Stadium twice and at local Walnut Hills High School.

NO HARM, NO FOUL

• Xavier has long been one of the fewest penalized teams in the nation, and 2016 has been no exception. The Musketeers have been charged with just 12 yellow cards (no reds) this season. Only 15 teams have fewer yellows this season.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier put up 20-plus shots for the third time this season, but fell 4-1 on the road against Marquette on Saturday.
• The four goals were the most scored on a Xavier unit since Aug. 31, 2014 at Wisconsin. It was also the first time XU has given up four goals in a BIG EAST match.
• Xavier held a 21-8 advantage in shots on Saturday night, the third time the Musketeers have posted 20 or more shots in a match this season. The Musketeers also held a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal.
• Matt Vasquenza took a match-high six shots (four on goal). The junior forward now has four goals on the year to rank second on the team behind Jalen Brown (five goals).
• Majed Osman was credited with an assist on Vasquenza's goal, his team-leading sixth assist of the year.

FINISHING STRONG

• Xavier has scored 14 of its 22 goals in the second half this season, out-scoring its opposition 14-8 after halftime.
• XU has also outshot its foes 109-89 in the second half and 19-13 in overtime.

SHARING IS CARING

• Sporting a typically-balanced offensive attack, Xavier has received goals from nine different players while eight Musketeers have contributed assists.

ON THE OFFENSIVE

• Xavier ranks 50th in the nation in total points (70), 54th in points per game (4.67) and 71st in total goals (22).
• XU ranks 26th in both assists per game (1.73) and 23rd in total assists (26).

SHOTS FIRED

• Xavier has been one of the top teams in the nation at generating scoring chances this fall.
• The Musketeers have outshot their opponents 224-171, including a 93-74 edge in shots on goal.
• The Musketeers are 23rd in the nation with 14.93 shots per game and also rank 36th in shots on goal per match with an average of 6.20.
• Individually, Majed Osman rates 23rd in the NCAA with 3.60 shots per game and 80th with 1.33 shots on goal per game.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

• Sophomore Colin Hanley has stabilized the goalkeeper position over the last nine matches for XU, four shutouts to go with a 1.02 GAA.
• He ranks 66th in the nation with a 1.02 GAA and 67th in saves per match (3.90). His save percentage is 46th in the country (.796).
• Hanley made his season debut on Sept. 13 in a 2-0 loss at nationally-ranked Louisville, but since then has allowed just eight goals in over 800 minutes.
• Prior to the Marquette match, Hanley's GAA in BIG EAST action had been a sterling 0.58 with three shutouts in six starts.

BIG (EAST) SUCCESS

• With a 3-2-1 record in 2016, Xavier is now 20-9-4 (.667) in BIG EAST play since joining the conference ahead of the 2013 season.
• The Musketeers have never finished below fourth in the BIG EAST standings.
• In three years in the league, Xavier has never failed to advance to the BIG EAST Tournament – reaching the semifinals in 2013 and 2015, while also appearing in the 2014 title match against Providence.

2016 BIG EAST STANDINGS

#	TEAM	OVERALL (%)	BIG EAST (%)
1.	Creighton	8-3-3 (.679)	4-1-1 (.750)
2.	Butler	9-4-1 (.679)	4-2 (.667)
3.	Providence	9-5 (.643)	4-2 (.667)
4.	Villanova	8-5-2 (.600)	3-2-1 (.583)
5.	Xavier	7-5-3 (.567)	3-2-1 (.583)
6.	St. John's	6-4-4 (.571)	2-2-2 (.500)
7.	Georgetown	5-8-1 (.393)	2-3-1 (.417)
8.	DePaul	7-6-2 (.533)	2-4 (.333)
9.	Marquette	4-5-4 (.462)	1-3-2 (.333)
10.	Seton Hall	3-10-1 (.250)	1-5 (.167)

* Standings current through 10/24

2016 BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Matt Nance became the second Musketeer to earn BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week Honors on Monday, Oct. 17.
• Xavier has had seven different players honored on 11 different occasions by the BIG EAST this season.

NAME	AWARD (DATE)
Matt Nance	BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (10/17)
Colin Hanley	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/17)
Colin Hanley	BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week (10/10)
Cory Brown	BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (10/10)
Jalen Brown	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/10)
Jalen Brown	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/26)
Cory Brown	BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (9/19)
Majed Osman	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/19)
Derrick Otim	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/12)
Jake Ciricillo	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/5)
Jalen Brown	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (8/29)

XAVIER AGAINST THE BEST

• Xavier has faced 21 NSCAA-ranked opponents in the last six-plus seasons.
• Since 2010, Xavier boasts an 8-9-4 overall record against NSCAA ranked opposition.
• The Musketeers are an incredible 6-2-1 against the Top-10, including wins at No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 1 Creighton last fall.
• In 2014, the Musketeers also claimed victories against No. 5 Indiana and No. 8 Georgetown.

XAVIER MEN'S SOCCER VS. THE NSCAA TOP 25 (SINCE 2010)
Home: 1-1-2 | Away: 3-4-1 | Neutral: 4-4-1

DATE	LOCATION	OPPONENT	RESULT
Nov. 13, 2010	Charlotte, N.C. (N)	#15 Charlotte	T, 0-0 (PK Win) *
Sept. 16, 2011	Evanston, Ill. (N)	#13 Northern Illinois	W, 1-0
Oct. 28, 2011	Charlotte, N.C. (A)	#16 Charlotte	L, 1-0
Nov. 10, 2011	St. Louis, Mo. (N)	#8 Charlotte	W, 2-1 (OT) *
Aug. 25, 2012	Cincinnati, Ohio (H)	#20 Northwestern	T, 1-1 (2OT)
Nov. 9, 2012	Charlotte, N.C. (N)	#25 Saint Louis	L, 1-0 *
Oct. 5, 2013	Omaha, Neb. (A)	#4 Creighton	L, 2-0
Oct. 12, 2013	Cincinnati, Ohio (H)	#9 Georgetown	W, 2-0
Aug. 31, 2014	Madison, Wis. (A)	#21 Wisconsin	L, 4-0
Oct. 18, 2014	Cincinnati, Ohio (H)	#6 Creighton	T, 1-1
Oct. 25, 2014	Milwaukee, Wis. (A)	#15 Marquette	W, 1-0
Oct. 29, 2014	Washington, D.C. (A)	#13 Georgetown	L, 1-0
Nov. 14, 2014	Philadelphia, Pa. (N)	#8 Georgetown	W, 1-0 ^
Nov. 16, 2014	Philadelphia, Pa. (N)	#23 Providence	L, 2-1 ^
Nov. 23, 2014	Bloomington, Ind. (N)	#5 Indiana	W, 2-1 %
Nov. 30, 2014	Omaha, Neb. (N)	#9 Creighton	L, 2-1 %
Sept. 15, 2015	South Bend, Ind. (A)	#2 Notre Dame	W, 1-0
Oct. 3, 2015	Cincinnati, Ohio (H)	#16 Georgetown	L, 1-0
Oct. 28, 2015	Omaha, Neb. (A)	#1 Creighton	W, 2-1
Nov. 12, 2015	Washington, D.C. (N)	#16 Georgetown	L, 1-0
Sept. 2, 2016	Charlottesville, Va. (A)	#12 Virginia	T, 1-1 (2OT)

POSTSEASON LEGEND
* Atlantic 10 Tournament
^ BIG EAST Tournament
% NCAA Tournament

GETTING UP OFF THE MAT

• Xavier has bounced back after losses consistently under head coach Andy Fleming and will look to avoid losing three straight for the first time since 2013 on Wednesday night.
• Since 2010, XU has compiled a record of 19-9-4 (.656) after a loss.

YEAR	RECORD AFTER LOSS
2010	3-2-1
2011	3-0-1
2012	2-0-0
2013	3-3-0
2014	4-1-0
2015	2-2-1
2016	2-1-1
7 Seasons	19-8-4 (.656)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

• Xavier has played the 39th most difficult schedule in the nation thus far with a combined opponent record of 94-73-36 (.552).
• The Musketeers were also rated 40th in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, released on Monday, Oct. 24.
• Six BIG EAST teams are in the top-40 in terms of schedule strength, ranging from Georgetown (6), Butler (16), Villanova (21), Creighton (24), Seton Hall (32) and Xavier (39).

XU PICKED FOURTH IN BIG EAST

• The Musketeers were picked to finish fourth in the league's annual coaches poll, coming in behind two preseason top-10 teams in Creighton and Georgetown. XU also received a first-place vote in the poll for the first time.
• Matt Vasquenza and Cory Brown were both selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, as Brown was named the BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
• The prediction ties the highest for XU since entering the league in 2013. XU was picked fourth last season, seventh in 2014 and fifth in 2013.
• XU lived up to its prediction last season, finishing fourth in the league at 5-3-1. The Musketeers have been inside the top-four in each of its first three seasons in the BIG EAST.

WHAT'S BACK

• Xavier returns 16 players, including eight starters, from last season's 12-win team.
• The roster consists of 10 freshmen, seven sophomores, six juniors and four seniors.
• Four of Xavier's top five offensive options are back, as returners Jalen Brown, Matt Vasquenza, Majed Osman and Walker Andriot took a combined 122 shots in 2015. Those four players accounted for 53 percent of Xavier's 229 total shots in 2015.
• XU's typically-balanced offense saw 12 players record an assist or score a goal last season. Eight of the goal-scorers return in 2016, while nine players return who contributed an assist.
• The senior class of Jalen Brown, Todd Pratzner, Jake Ciricillo, Walker Andriot and Majed Osman have helped XU to a 38-20-5 (.643) record since 2013.
• The Musketeers return 52 percent of their goal-scoring (15-of-29) and 56 percent of their points (44-of-78).

HOLES TO FILL

• XU is holding auditions to replace a BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year for the second straight season after losing Dallas Jaye (13 GS, 0.63 GAA) to graduation. Jaye succeeded 2014 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year Eric Osswald.
• Leading scorer Alex Ridsdale (8g, 1a) was also lost to graduation.
• A key piece in the midfield, Kyle Martin graduated after starting 47 matches since 2013.
• Right back Chris Moore also graduated after making 58 career starts since 2013.
• The 2015 senior class of Dallas Jaye, Vince Shaw, Alex Ridsdale, Calum Latham, Kyle Martin, Rhodes Moore and Chris Moore left Xavier with 51 wins – tied for the most by any graduating group.
• In addition to player turnover, XU has an entirely new look on the sidelines with Ernie Yarborough, Garrett McLaughlin, Chris Black and Cam Olson all beginning their first year with the program. Former assistants John Michael Hayden (Louisville) and Charles Rodriguez (Stanford) took new jobs in the collegiate ranks, while goalkeeper coach Jamie Starr (FC Cincinnati) and Director of Operations Luke Spencer (FC Cincinnati) joined the USL.

CORY BROWN COLLECTING HONORS

• For a second straight preseason, Cory Brown has racked up an impressive collection of preseason honors. The junior from Nelson, New Zealand is considered one of the best defenders in college soccer and was on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List as a sophomore.

2016 HONORS FOR BROWN:
• BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
• Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
• College Soccer News Preseason All-America Second Team
• Top Drawer Soccer Men's Preseason Best XI Third Team
• College Soccer News National Team of the Week (10/10)
• 2x BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (9/19, 10/10)

PRESEASON WRAP

• Xavier posted a 1-1 record in a pair of exhibitions, defeating the 2015 NAIA National Champs, Rio Grande (OH), 2-0 at home and falling 3-1 at No. 4 Maryland.
• Jalen Brown (2g) scored unassisted in both matches for the Musketeers and could be primed for a big season after leading XU in shots in 2015.

AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE

· Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last six seasons.
· The Musketeers finished 2015 at 12-6-1 overall, marking a sixth straight season with at least 10 wins – one of just 12 programs that can claim the feat.
· Last fall also marked Xavier's third straight finish in the top-four of the BIG EAST.
· XU was ranked in the nation's top-10 by the NSCAA for the third time in four years, while knocking of 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.