Men's Soccer Prepares for Crosstown Showdown Against UC

Friday, September 9

NKU Soccer Stadium (Northern Kentucky University)

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Cincinnati

Men's Soccer Prepares for Crosstown Showdown Against UC

09.08.16 | Men's Soccer

Friday's match will now be hosted at NKU at 7 p.m. ET

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletics Communication

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's soccer looks to build on back-to-back results against ranked opponents on Friday against crosstown rival Cincinnati, hosting the Bearcats at 7 p.m. at NKU Soccer Stadium. XU will enter the night with a six-match unbeaten streak against the Bearcats.

The Musketeers, who tied N o. 16/24 Dartmouth on Monday, have put together one of the most potent offenses in the BIG EAST Conference thus far, leading the league with 68 shots in four matches and averaging 17 attempts per game.

UC is coming off a 1-0 loss to St. Francis (PA) at home on Sunday, Sept. 4. To this point, the Bearcats have also recorded a 3-0 win at IPFW and a 2-1 (2OT) loss to Wright State.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-1-2) vs. CINCINNATI BEARCATS (1-2-0)
Match Info: Friday, Sept. 9 – 7:00 p.m. – NKU Soccer Stadium
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/1JpmFPO

ABOUT CINCINNATI

2016 Record: 1-2
Last Result: L, 1-0 vs. St. Francis (PA) on Sunday, Sept. 4 at Gettler Stadium
Key Players: Adam Wilson (1 G, 1 A, 12 SH, 7 SOG), J.J. Iroh (1 G, 1 A, 4 SH), Austin Smythe (1 G, 9 SH, 4 SOG)
In Goal: Pedro Diaz (3 GS, 0.94 GAA, 14 SV, 1 SHO)

Notable:
• The Bearcats have been outshot 49-38 in three matches, including 20-10 in the opening half.
• Three of UC's four goals this season have come after halftime. The Bearcats have outshot opponents 24-18 after the break.
• UC went 7-9-3 and 1-4-3 in the AAC in 2015. The Bearcats ended their season in the AAC Tournament quarterfinals.
• Xavier set an all-time attendance record the last time UC visited XU Soccer Complex, defeating the Bearcats 3-0 in front of a record crowd of 2,178 on Sept. 13, 2014.
• Xavier is unbeaten against UC under head coach Andy Fleming, who has led the program to a 4-0-2 mark and a 7-3 goal differential against the Bearcats since 2010.
• The match has been played every season since 1974 and will be the 43rd all-time between the programs. UC leads the series 25-12-5, but haven't won against the Musketeers since Sept. 30, 2009.

XAVIER VS. CINCINNATI (SINCE 2010)
Home: 2-0-1 | Away: 2-0-1

DATE	LOCATION	RESULT
Sept. 29, 2010	XU Soccer Complex	T, 0-0 (2OT)
Sept. 28, 2011	Gettler Stadium	T, 1-1 (2OT)
Sept. 2, 2012	XU Soccer Complex	W, 2-1
Sept. 25, 2013	Gettler Stadium	W, 1-0
Sept. 13, 2014	XU Soccer Complex	W, 3-0
Sept. 11, 2015	Gettler Stadium	W, 2-1

VENUE CHANGE

• Xavier men's soccer announced a venue change for Friday night's match against Cincinnati. The game is now being played at NKU Soccer Stadium. Fans are encouraged to wear white.
• This will be the second straight home match XU has had to relocate. Xavier Soccer Complex is temporarily unplayable due to last Sunday night's inclement weather in and around the Norwood area, which caused severe flooding in certain sections of campus and surrounding areas.
• Admission to Friday's game is free. Gates will open one hour prior to first kick.
• Parking for NKU soccer matches is available for in Lot O, adjacent to the NKU Soccer Stadium and The BB&T Arena. Additional parking, if necessary, is available in the Welcome Center Garage and adjacent surface lots. For information on accessible parking or other general inquiries regarding parking, contact NKU Parking Services.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier played a second straight double overtime match against a ranked opponent, fighting to a 1-1 draw vs. Dartmouth.
• The Musketeers led for a majority of the match, but the Big Green equalized with 26 seconds left in the match on a header off a long throw-in.
• Derrick Otim continued his strong start to the season, burying his second goal of the year in the 15th minute. Walker Andriot and Matt Nance were credited with assists on the play.
• Jake Ciricillo played all 110 minutes in goal, making two saves and allowing just one goal on a set piece.
• Majed Osman led XU in shots with a season-high six. Jalen Brown, Derrick Otim and Matt Nance each recorded three shots apiece.
• Xavier outshot Dartmouth 18-15 overall, including 8-3 in the opening half. The Musketeers also owned a 5-3 edge in shots during extra time.
• Dartmouth was the 22nd ranked opponent XU has faced since 2010. The Musketeers are now 8-9-5 against ranked teams in the last six-plus seasons.

SHOTS FIRED

• Through four matches, Xavier has been one of the top teams in the nation at generating scoring chances.
• The Musketeers are 21st in the nation with 17 shots per game and also rank 54th in shots on goal per match with an average of 6.25.
• Jalen Brown's 3.75 shots per game rank 27th in the nation, while Majed Osman's 3.5 rank 47th.

XAVIER AGAINST THE BEST

• Monday's opponent, No. 16/24 Dartmouth, was the 22nd ranked opponent XU has faced in the last six-plus seasons.
• Since 2010, Xavier now boasts an 8-9-5 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 TOP 25 (SINCE 2010)
Home: 1-1-3 | 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)
Sept. 5, 2016	Cincinnati, Ohio (H)	#16 Dartmouth	T, 1-1 (2OT)

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

GETTING UP OFF THE MAT

• After a 2-0 road loss at UAB, Xavier men's soccer responded well with a 1-1 result at No. 12 Virginia last week. It continues a trend of solid play after losses under Andy Fleming.
• Since 2010, XU has compiled a record of 17-8-4 (.655) 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	0-0-1
7 Seasons	17-8-4 (.655)

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 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.