Men's Soccer Set for Sunday BIG EAST Quarterfinal at No. 24 Creighton

Sunday, November 6

Omaha, Neb.

4 p.m.

Xavier University

No. 4 Creighton

Tickets

Men's Soccer Set for Sunday BIG EAST Quarterfinal at No. 24 Creighton

11.05.16 | Men's Soccer

Musketeers look to advance to third straight league tournament semifinal

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletics Communication

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's soccer heads to No. 24 Creighton to make its fourth straight appearance in the BIG EAST Championships on Sunday at Morrison Stadium.

The Musketeers (8-7-3, 4-4-1 BIG EAST) have never missed the conference tournament since joining the league for the 2013 season, and will be looking to advance to the league's semifinal round for a third straight year.

XU rolls into Morrison Stadium with a two-match winning streak in the series against Creighton (9-5-3, 5-3-1 BIG EAST), which earned the tournament's fourth seed after a 3-0 win over Georgetown on Thursday.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (8-7-3, 4-4-1 BIG EAST CONFERENCE)
vs. No. 24 CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (9-5-3, 5-3-1 BIG EAST CONFERENCE)
Match Info: Sunday, November 6 – 4 p.m. – Morrison Stadium
Follow: Live Stats | Watch (BEDN) | @XavierMSOC

ABOUT CREIGHTON

2016 Record: 9-5-3 (5-3-1 BIG EAST Conference)
Last Result: W, 3-0 vs. Georgetown on Thursday, Nov. 3
Key Players: Riggs Lennon (10 G, 70 SH), Ricky Lopez-Espin (7 G, 1 A), Ricardo Perez (3 G, 2 A)
In Goal: Alex Kapp (17 GS, 0.67 GAA, 56 SV, 7 SHO)

Notable:
• Creighton enters the matchup ranked No. 24 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll. The Bluejays are also receiving votes in the Top Drawer Soccer poll and are ranked 24th by College Soccer News.
• Ricardo Perez (BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year) and Alex Kapp (BIG EAST Co-Goalkeeper of the Year) were recognized with major league awards on Saturday, leading a pack of six Bluejays on the all-conference teams.
• The Bluejays have outshot opponents 294-172 (17.3-10.1) this season, including a 114-68 edge in shots on goal.
• 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 is in his sixth season in 2016 and has amassed an 91-26-12 record at Creighton.

SERIES HISTORY

• Sunday's match will be the sixth meeting between Xavier and Creighton.
• The series is locked up at 2-2-1 overall, as XU has taken the last two meetings (one in Cincinnati this season and one in Omaha last season).
• Xavier got the best of then-No. 18 Creighton at home just a few weeks ago on Wednesday, Oct. 26 in a 2-1 victory. Redshirt sophomore Cam Taylor connected for the golden goal in the 105th minute, capping a three-point match for the defender.
• Matt Vasquenza buried the game-winner with 1:13 to go in the last meeting in Omaha, 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.
• In the last postseason meeting between the two schools, XU fell to 12th-seeded Creighton, 2-1, in Omaha, Neb. on Nov. 30, 2014. The loss capped the deepest postseason run in Xavier men's soccer history. The Bluejays went up 2-0 in the match, getting goals from Fabian Herbers (43') and Fernando Castellanos (62'), before a 70th minute free kick goal by Cory Brown got Xavier on the board. The Musketeers had a couple more chances in the final minutes, but were unable to put another shot on frame.
• All six meetings between the two schools have come since the two programs joined the BIG EAST for the 2013 season.

CORY BROWN COLLECTING HONORS

• For a second straight preseason, Cory Brown has racked up an impressive collection of 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.
• On Saturday, the center back was named the 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year while also earning a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team for a second straight season. For XU, it was the fifth straight season with a major conference award.
• Brown joins current Toronto FC starter Nick Hagglund as the only Musketeers to earn BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. Hagglund earned the honor in 2013.

2016 HONORS FOR BROWN:
• BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
• All-BIG EAST First Team
• 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)

PLAYIN' IN A TRAVELING BAND

• Last Thursday's regular season home finale at Xavier Soccer Complex was just the Musketeers' fourth 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 2-2 overall in true home matches, beating Evansville 3-1 back on Friday, Aug. 26 and No. 18 Creighton on Wednesday, Oct. 26. The Musketeers' losses came against SIUE in a 1-0 match on Tuesday, Oct. 18 and on Thursday, Nov. 2 in a 2-1 setback against No. 18 Butler.
• 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 13 yellow cards (no reds) this season. Only 13 teams have fewer yellows this season.

FINISHING STRONG

• Xavier has scored 17 of its 26 goals in the second half this season, out-scoring its opposition 17-13 after halftime.
• XU has also outshot its foes 128-109 in the second half and 20-16 in overtime.

SHARING IS CARING

• Sporting a typically-balanced offensive attack, Xavier has received goals from 10 different players while 11 Musketeers have contributed assists.

ON THE OFFENSIVE

• Xavier ranks 41st in the nation in total points (84), 61st in points per game (4.67) and 58th in total goals (26).
• XU ranks 21st in assists per game (1.78) and 17th in total assists (32).

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 262-223, including a 102-92 edge in shots on goal.
• The Musketeers are 31st in the nation with 14.56 shots per game and also rank 64th in shots on goal per match with an average of 5.67.
• Individually, Majed Osman rates 34th in the NCAA with 3.33 shots per game and 124th with 1.17 shots on goal per game.

BIG (EAST) SUCCESS

• With a 4-4-1 record in 2016, Xavier is now 21-11-4 (.639) in BIG EAST play since joining the conference ahead of the 2013 season.
• The Musketeers had never finished below fourth in the BIG EAST standings until this year's fifth-place finish.
• 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 WEEKLY HONORS

• Cam Taylor was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday after supplying three points, including the golden goal, in a 2-1 win over No. 18 Creighton last week.
• Xavier has had eight different players honored on 12 different occasions by the BIG EAST this season.

NAME	AWARD (DATE)
Cam Taylor	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/31)
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 23 NSCAA-ranked opponents in the last six-plus seasons.
• Since 2010, Xavier boasts an 9-10-4 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: 2-2-2 | 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)
Oct. 26, 2016	Cincinnati, Ohio (H)	#18 Creighton	W, 2-1 (2OT)
Nov. 2, 2016	Cincinnati, Ohio (H)	#18 Butler	L, 2-1

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.
• Since 2010, XU has compiled a record of 20-10-4 (.647) 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	3-2-1
7 Seasons	20-10-4 (.647)

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

• Xavier has played the 41st most difficult schedule in the nation thus far with a combined opponent record of 132-107-44 (.544).
• The Musketeers were also rated 48th in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, released on Monday, Oct. 31.
• Six BIG EAST teams are in the top-41 in terms of schedule strength, ranging from Georgetown (8), Butler (21), Creighton (30), Seton Hall (35), Villanova (37) and Xavier (41). Nine of the league's teams are in the top-85, including Marquette (61), Providence (71) and DePaul (84).

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.

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.