Men's Soccer Readies for Road Battle at No. 12 Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Xavier men's soccer travels to college soccer powerhouse Virginia on Friday night, looking to make another road statement after a 2015 season full of them.

The Musketeers have controlled both of their matches thus far, despite a disappointing 2-0 result on Sunday night at UAB, and currently rank 20th in the nation at 18 shots per game.

Virginia has been off since opening its season with a 2-1 home win over then-No. 18 Coastal Carolina on Friday, August 26.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-1) at No. 12 VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (1-0)
Match Info: Thursday, Sept. 1 – 7:30 p.m. – Klöckner Stadium
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2cue4Sl
Live Video: None

ABOUT VIRGINIA

2015 Record: 10-5-3, 4-2-2 ACC
Postseason: NCAA Tournament Second Round
• The Musketeers will be making their second-ever trip to Charlottesville, Va. after battling Virginia to a 1-1 tie on Sept. 14, 2012 – the lone matchup in the all-time series.
• Virginia has advanced to 35 straight NCAA Tournaments – which is the longest active streak in the nation – and has made 37 all-time appearances.
• Head coach Georget Gelnovatch boasts the longest active streak of NCAA appearances (20 years) by any Division I coach.
• The Cavaliers also have an active streak of 35 straight winning seasons, which is the longest in Division I men's soccer. During that span, the program has won seven national titles.

LAST TIME OUT

• Despite out-shooting UAB 15-4, the Musketeers surrendered two second half goals to fall on the road, 2-0.
• True freshman Zachary Nelson made his debut in net, getting the start and making one save.
• Matt Vasquenza and Jalen Brown led XU with three shots apiece. Matt Nance, Derrick Otim and Majed Osman each added two shots.
• Cory Brown, Cameron Taylor, Jalen Brown, Matt Nance and Walker Andriot all played the full 90.
• Xavier held a 7-3 edge in corners and a 15-4 advantage in shots. The Musketeers outshot the Blazers 6-1 in the opening frame and 9-3 in the second half.

XAVIER AGAINST THE BEST

• Virginia will be the 21st ranked opponent XU has faced in the last six-plus seasons.
• Since 2010, Xavier boasts an 8-9-3 overall record against 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: 3-4-0 | 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

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

GETTING UP OFF THE MAT

• Xavier men's soccer has consistently responded well after losses under Andy Fleming.
• Since 2010, XU has compiled a record of 17-8-3 (.672) 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	0-0-0
7 Seasons	17-8-3 (.672)

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.
• In the last three years, Xavier has gone 17-7-3 (.685) overall in league play.

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 PRESEASON 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

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.

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

• Xavier goalkeepers have now set program records for goals against average in three straight seasons.
• In 2013, Eric Osswald began the trend with a mark of 0.82. He lowered his own record to 0.74 in 2014, posting a program-best 11 shutouts and earning BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year honors. Last season, Dallas Jaye continued the run with an impressive 0.63 GAA and a BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year award.

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.

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