Women's Soccer Falls at DePaul in BIG EAST Opener

Sunday, September 25

Chicago, Ill.

2 p.m.

Xavier University

6-4-1, 0-1-0

DePaul University

4-4-2, 1-0-0

Xavier

DePaul

Women's Soccer Falls at DePaul in BIG EAST Opener

09.25.16 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

Musketeers close out five-game road swing at Providence on Thursday

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CHICAGO - Xavier women's soccer opened the BIG EAST schedule on the road at one of the conference's perennial powers, DePaul, on Sunday afternoon. The Musketeers fell, 5-0, to the Blue Demons to move to 6-4-1 on the season and 0-1 in BIG EAST play. DePaul moved to 4-4-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

X CHALLENGES FOR 90 MINUTES

The Musketeers, shut out for only the second time this season, continued to pressure on offense even as the game came to a close. Xavier had several good chances to add a tally in the match, led by a pair of attempts for Courtney Lankford, including a shot in the 30th minute in the box that would have tied the match. Lankford found the ball about 15 yards out off a pass from Kennedy Rose but Lankford, under pressure from DePaul defenders, shot just wide of the goal.

Ellie Eckerle had the first good look of the match, getting a header off a corner kick from Samantha Dewey in the 13th minute that went just wide of the goal. Dewey then found an opportunity of her own in the first period when she dispossessed a DePaul defender and had a clean look at the net from 20 yards out, but the shot was collected for the save.

Addie Englehart also created a good chance for the Musketeers early in the second half, shooting from the far side of the box. The ball narrowly missed going inside the near post to keep the Musketeers scoreless.

Lankford also pressured for a late chance that forced the DePaul keeper to make the save to keep Xavier scoreless in the final 10 minutes of the game.

DEPAUL BALANCED ON OFFENSE

DePaul had five players record points in the match, including three players who scored goals. The Blue Demons took a 2-0 lead in to the halftime break after Franny Cerny scored in the 18th minute and Abby Reed added to the lead in the 38th.

The Musketeers kept the Blue Demons within two goals until the 72nd minute, when DePaul added a third tally on a penalty kick for Cerny. Less than four minutes later, Bina Saipi found the ball off a rebound in front of the net to put DU up 4-0. Cerny scored once more in the 79th minute to set the final margin.

Bizzarro started the game in goal, playing nearly 60 minutes and collecting a save and allowing a pair. Rachel Piccus relieved Bizzarro for the final 30 minutes, collecting three saves, including a pair of diving stops, and allowing three.

Ellie Eckerle played the full 90 minutes on the Xavier backline.

UP NEXT

Xavier closes out a five-game road swing at Providence on Thursday, Sept. 29. The Musketeers and the Friars are set to face off at 7:00 p.m. A stream of the match is available through www.Friars.com, but a subscription is required.

After facing Providence, Xavier hosts top-10 ranked Georgetown for its BIG EAST home opener on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 1:00 p.m. The Musketeers will now be hosting the Hoyas at the NKU Soccer Stadium on the campus of Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Ky. Please stay tuned to GoXavier.com and @XavierWSOC, the official Twitter account of Xavier women's soccer, for potential changes to time and venue.