Xavier University Athletics
Wednesday, November 1
Indianapolis, Ind.
7 PM
Xavier University
at
#15 Butler
Men's Soccer Caps Regular Season with Trip to Butler
10.30.17 | Men's Soccer
Seeding implications abound for XU as team prepares for fifth straight playoff appearance
CINCINNATI – Xavier men's soccer wraps up the regular season on Wednesday night, traveling to Butler for a 7 p.m. match at the Sellick Bowl.
The Musketeers (10-4-2, 5-3 BIG EAST) are playing for seeding in the upcoming BIG EAST Championships, having clinched at least the fourth seed in the tournament with last weekend's win over Seton Hall. XU could finish as high as second in the league, depending on the outcomes of a couple other league matches.
Wednesday night's contest will be broadcast on BIG EAST Digital Network via the FOX Sports Go app.
at BUTLER BULLDOGS
Match Info: Wednesday, Nov. 1 – 7 p.m. – Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl
2017 Record: 11-4-1, 7-1 BIG EAST Conference
Leading Scorers: Brandon Guhl (10g, 3a), Lewis Suddick (5g, 7a)
Notable:
• Butler clinched its first regular season league title on Saturday night and will be the No. 1 seed with a quarterfinal bye during the BIG EAST Championships.
• Xavier trails the all-time series 12-5, but Butler holds just a 4-2 edge since both programs joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
• The Bulldogs won their first-ever BIG EAST title in 2016, beating Creighton 2-1 in the championship game. Making a seventh NCAA Tournament appearance, Butler fell in penalty kicks to SIUE in the second round.
• Xavier and Butler meet to end the regular season for the fifth straight year.
• Butler coach Paul Snape is in his seventh season with a 63-44-21 record (23-17-2 BIG EAST).
• With a 5-3 record in 2017, Xavier is now 26-14-4 (.636) in BIG EAST play since joining the conference ahead of the 2013 season.
• The Musketeers have never finished below fifth-place or missed qualifying for the BIG EAST Championships. After Saturday's win over Seton Hall, XU clinched its fifth straight appearance in the league tournament.
• Xavier reached the league semifinals in 2013 and 2015, while also appearing in the 2014 title match against Providence. Last season, XU was eliminated in the quarterfinal round at Creighton.
*National statistic rankings current through matches played on 10/30*
• Xavier came-from-behind to clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championships with a 3-2 overtime win over visiting Seton Hall on Saturday at XU Soccer Complex.
• The Musketeers led 1-0 just after halftime on a goal by Simen Hestnes, but Seton Hall scored two unanswered to lead late. XU scored in the 89th minute (with 1:56 left) on a goal by Sam Buzzas and then won on a golden goal via Matt Vasquenza in the 94th minute.
• The Musketeers honored their senior class of Josh Grant, Cory Brown, Matt Vasquenza, Ian Vicars, Cam Taylor and Matt Nance prior to first touch.
• XU had a 20-3 edge in corner kicks in the match, setting a season-high.
• XU put nine shots on frame for the second straight match, tying its second-highest total of the fall.
• Vasquenza's goal moved him into ninth all-time at XU with 24 career tallies. He's also now tied for ninth all-time with 64 career points.
• XU's last match of the regular season comes on the road, where the Musketeers have posted a 3-3-2 record in 2017. Xavier will be looking to improve on a 1-3 road record in league play.
• XU head coach Andy Fleming is 83-38-20 (.660) since 2010 and is Xavier soccer's all-time winningest coach. The Musketeers have won at least eight matches in all eight of his seasons at the helm.
• Xavier's four goals against Providence earlier this fall set a new team record for a BIG EAST match.
• XU's seven match unbeaten streak this season was its longest since a nine-match spurt from 9/20-10/29, 2014.
• The Musketeers generated a season-high 20 corner kicks against Seton Hall on Saturday and hold a 117-60 corner kick advantage over their opponents this season.
• XU ranks first in the BIG EAST and third nationally in corner kicks per match (7.31).
• Sporting a typically-balanced offensive attack, 11 players have recorded a point for Xavier this fall.
• 10 different Musketeers have recorded an assist this season and four XU players have five or more goals (Matt Vasquenza, Cam Taylor, Samson Sergi, Simen Hestnes).
• An impressive five different players have 10 points or more, including Matt Vasquenza (17), Simen Hestnes (16), Samson Sergi (15), Cam Taylor (15) and Josh Grant (10).
• Senior forward Matt Vasquenza has been one of the team's go-to scorers throughout his career and is starting to make his mark in the program's all-time record book.
• Vasquenza currently has 64 points in career and tied Charlie Combs (1991-94) with his goal on Saturday against Seton Hall.
• Vasquenza passed Combs with his 24th career tally on Saturday and is now tied for ninth all-time with Vladimir Ciric (1995-96).
• His assist against Providence on Sept. 30 moved him into 10th all-time at Xavier with 16 career helpers.
• Vasquenza has come up in big moments consistently in an XU uniform and has three game-winners this season.
POINTS
GOALS
ASSISTS
Senior defender Cory Brown, a native of Nelson, New Zealand, has collected an impressive list of awards during the preseason:
BROWN'S 2017 PRESEASON HONORS
• MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
• Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (second straight season)
• Unanimous selection to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
• Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI Second Team
• College Soccer News Preseason All-America Second Team
• No. 13 on Top Drawer Soccer list of best players in college soccer
• Xavier has bounced back after losses consistently under head coach Andy Fleming, including a 3-0 win over Drake, a 4-1 win over Providence and a 1-0 win against Marquette this fall.
• Since 2010, XU has compiled a record of 23-11-4 (.658) after a loss.
• Xavier ended the 2017 preseason with a 1-1-1 record, including a 3-0 win over Marian (Ind.) and a 1-1 draw against ACC foe Duke.
• In the result against Duke, XU outshot the Blue Devils 15-6 and had a 12-5 edge in corners.
• Matt Vasquenza scored goals in all three preseason games after scoring in each of the Musketeers' spring matches as well, giving him a goal in nine straight exhibitions.
• Xavier returns 19 letterwinners and seven starters from last season's team, including its leading scorer in Matt Vasquenza and top defender in Cory Brown.
• The roster consists of eight freshmen, 10 sophomores, seven juniors and four seniors. 10 of those players are newcomers to the roster, including transfers Sean Wilson (UNC) and Simen Hestnes (LIU Brooklyn).
• XU's leading scorer in 2016, Matt Vasquenza brings back 17 career goals and should reach the top-10 in program history with another productive season.
• XU's typically-balanced offense saw 11 players record an assist or score a goal last season. Seven players who contributed points last season return to this year's roster, although senior Matt Nance (3g, 4a) will miss the season with an injury.
• The senior class of Cory Brown, Matt Vasquenza, Matt Nance and Josh Grant have led the team to a 35-20-6 (.623) record since 2014.
• The Musketeers bring back 59.3 percent (16-of-27) of their scoring and 59.8 percent (52-of-87) of their points.
• Midfielders Jalen Brown and Majed Osman departed after combining for 107 shots and eight goals last season. Both offensive weapons made 19 starts and leave big shoes to fill in the Musketeer midfield.
• Another midfielder, Walker Andriot, transferred to Louisville for his final season of eligibility after contributing a goal and three assists in 19 starts last season.
• Longtime stalwart Todd Pratzner graduated after making 70 career starts at center back for XU.
• In addition to player turnover, XU has an entirely new look on the sidelines with David Costa, Kevin Reiman and Jamie Starr all new additions to the coaching staff. Starr returns to XU as goalkeepers coach after spending over a year with the USL club FC Cincinnati.
1. Providence (9) – 81 pts.
2. Creighton (1) – 70
3. Butler – 68
4. Villanova – 52
5. Georgetown – 46
6. Xavier – 45
7. Marquette – 30
8. St. John's – 27
9. DePaul – 21
10. Seton Hall – 10
First place votes in ( )
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Mac Steeves, Providence, RS-Sr., F *
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Cory Brown, Xavier, Sr., D *
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, Jr. *
2017 Men's Soccer Preseason All-BIG EAST #
Ricky Lopez-Espin, Creighton, Sr., F
Mac Steeves, Providence, RS-Sr., F
Harry Cooksley, St. John's, So., F ^
Lewis Suddick, Butler, So., M
Jared Timmer, Butler, Jr., M
Christopher Lema, Georgetown, Sr., M
Luka Prpa, Marquette, So., M
Andreas Bartosinksi, Villanova, Sr., M
Lucas Stauffer, Creighton, Jr., D
Mark Jecewiz, Providence, RS-Jr., D
Cory Brown, Xavier, Sr., D ^
JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, Jr., GK
• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last seven seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in six of the last seven seasons.
• Xavier is the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.
• XU has qualified for five consecutive BIG EAST Championships, including a trip to the title game in 2014.
• XU has been ranked in the nation's top-10 three times in the last five years. by the NSCAA.
• In 2015, XU knocked off 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.
• Three XU players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last six years, including 2017 second rounder Jalen Brown (38th overall).
The Musketeers (10-4-2, 5-3 BIG EAST) are playing for seeding in the upcoming BIG EAST Championships, having clinched at least the fourth seed in the tournament with last weekend's win over Seton Hall. XU could finish as high as second in the league, depending on the outcomes of a couple other league matches.
Wednesday night's contest will be broadcast on BIG EAST Digital Network via the FOX Sports Go app.
 |
THE OPPONENT |
at BUTLER BULLDOGS Match Info: Wednesday, Nov. 1 – 7 p.m. – Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl
2017 Record: 11-4-1, 7-1 BIG EAST Conference
Leading Scorers: Brandon Guhl (10g, 3a), Lewis Suddick (5g, 7a)
Notable:
• Butler clinched its first regular season league title on Saturday night and will be the No. 1 seed with a quarterfinal bye during the BIG EAST Championships.
• Xavier trails the all-time series 12-5, but Butler holds just a 4-2 edge since both programs joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
• The Bulldogs won their first-ever BIG EAST title in 2016, beating Creighton 2-1 in the championship game. Making a seventh NCAA Tournament appearance, Butler fell in penalty kicks to SIUE in the second round.
• Xavier and Butler meet to end the regular season for the fifth straight year.
• Butler coach Paul Snape is in his seventh season with a 63-44-21 record (23-17-2 BIG EAST).
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BIG (EAST) SUCCESS |
• With a 5-3 record in 2017, Xavier is now 26-14-4 (.636) in BIG EAST play since joining the conference ahead of the 2013 season.
• The Musketeers have never finished below fifth-place or missed qualifying for the BIG EAST Championships. After Saturday's win over Seton Hall, XU clinched its fifth straight appearance in the league tournament.
• Xavier reached the league semifinals in 2013 and 2015, while also appearing in the 2014 title match against Providence. Last season, XU was eliminated in the quarterfinal round at Creighton.
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KEY STATS |
| STAT | XU | BUTLER |
| Goals | 30 | 22 |
| Goals Allowed | 20 | 16 |
| Goals Per Game | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Shots On Goal | 86 | 77 |
| Shots Per Game | 12.6 | 11.4 |
| Shots Allowed Per Game | 12.3 | 12.8 |
| Assists | 31 | 23 |
| Corner Kicks | 117 | 89 |
| Corner Kicks Allowed | 60 | 78 |
| Penalty Kicks | 0-0 | 3-3 |
| Yellow Cards | 21 | 20 |
| Red Cards | 1 | 0 |
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XU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS |
*National statistic rankings current through matches played on 10/30*
TEAM
| STAT | RANK | # |
| Assists Per Game | 16 | 1.94 |
| Corner Kicks Per Game | 3 | 7.31 |
| Points Per Game | 23 | 5.69 |
| Scoring Offense | 28 | 1.88 |
| Shots Per Game | 77 | 12.63 |
| Shots On Goal Per Game | 86 | 5.38 |
| Total Assists | 17 | 31 |
| Total Goals | 26 | 30 |
| Total Points | 23 | 91 |
| W-L-T % | 33 | .688 |
INDIVIDUAL
| NAME | STAT | RANK | # |
| Jacob Goodall | Assists Per Game | 39 | 0.44 |
| Josh Grant | Assists Per Game | 45 | 0.43 |
| Simen Hestnes | Assists Per Game | 74 | 0.38 |
| Zach Nelson | Goals Against Average | 126 | 1.32 |
| Jacob Goodall | Total Assists | 28 | 7 |
| Simen Hestnes | Total Assists | 52 | 6 |
| Josh Grant | Total Assists | 52 | 6 |
| Samson Sergi | Total Goals | 74 | 7 |
| Matt Vasquenza | Total Goals | 74 | 7 |
| Matt Vasquenza | Total Points | 87 | 17 |
| Matt Vasquenza | Game-Winning Goals | 36 | 3 |
| Matt Vasquenza | Shots on Goal Per Game | 53 | 1.44 |
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier came-from-behind to clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championships with a 3-2 overtime win over visiting Seton Hall on Saturday at XU Soccer Complex.
• The Musketeers led 1-0 just after halftime on a goal by Simen Hestnes, but Seton Hall scored two unanswered to lead late. XU scored in the 89th minute (with 1:56 left) on a goal by Sam Buzzas and then won on a golden goal via Matt Vasquenza in the 94th minute.
• The Musketeers honored their senior class of Josh Grant, Cory Brown, Matt Vasquenza, Ian Vicars, Cam Taylor and Matt Nance prior to first touch.
• XU had a 20-3 edge in corner kicks in the match, setting a season-high.
• XU put nine shots on frame for the second straight match, tying its second-highest total of the fall.
• Vasquenza's goal moved him into ninth all-time at XU with 24 career tallies. He's also now tied for ninth all-time with 64 career points.
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XAVIER WHEN... |
| WHEN | RECORD |
| Outshooting Opponent | 8-1-1 |
| Shots Even | 1-0-0 |
| Outshot | 2-3-1 |
| After A Win | 6-1-2 |
| After A Loss | 3-1-0 |
| After A Tie | 1-1-0 |
| Scoring 0 Goals | 0-1-0 |
| Scoring 1 Goal | 2-3-2 |
| Scoring 2 Goals | 2-0-0 |
| Scoring 3 Goals | 5-0-0 |
| Scoring 4 Goals | 1-0-0 |
| Taking More Corners Than Opponent | 9-3-1 |
| Taking Less Corners Than Opponent | 1-1-1 |
| Leading At Half | 6-1-0 |
| Trailing At Half | 1-3-0 |
| Tied At Half | 3-0-2 |
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MULTI-GOAL/ASSIST MATCHES |
| DATE | OPPONENT | PLAYER | POINTS |
| Aug. 27 | Drake | Josh Grant | 2 (2 A) |
| Aug. 27 | Drake | Jacob Goodall | 2 (2 A) |
| Sept. 1 | at Harvard | Simen Hestnes | 4 (2 G) |
| Sept. 1 | at Harvard | Matt Vasquenza | 2 (2 A) |
| Sept. 4 | at Boston College | Simen Hestnes | 3 (1 G, 1 A) |
| Sept. 30 | Providence | Samson Sergi | 4 (2 G) |
| Sept. 30 | Providence | Matt Vasquenza | 3 (1 G, 1 A) |
| Oct. 3 | Detroit | Matt Vasquenza | 4 (2 G) |
| Oct. 25 | DePaul | Jacob Goodall | 3 (1 G, 1 A) |
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SHUTOUTS |
| DATE | OPPONENT | GOALKEEPER | SCORE | SHOTS FACED/SAVES |
| Aug. 27 | Drake | Nelson (1) | 3-0 | 5/1 |
| Sept. 1 | at Harvard | Nelson (2) | 3-0 | 7/3 |
| Sept. 16 | #9 Georgetown | Nelson (3) | 1-0 (OT) | 16/3 |
| Oct. 21 | Marquette | Hanley (1) | 1-0 | 10/2 |
| Oct. 25 | DePaul | Hanley (2) | 2-0 | 9/3 |
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NOTABLE |
• XU's last match of the regular season comes on the road, where the Musketeers have posted a 3-3-2 record in 2017. Xavier will be looking to improve on a 1-3 road record in league play.
• XU head coach Andy Fleming is 83-38-20 (.660) since 2010 and is Xavier soccer's all-time winningest coach. The Musketeers have won at least eight matches in all eight of his seasons at the helm.
• Xavier's four goals against Providence earlier this fall set a new team record for a BIG EAST match.
• XU's seven match unbeaten streak this season was its longest since a nine-match spurt from 9/20-10/29, 2014.
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CORNERING THE MARKET |
• The Musketeers generated a season-high 20 corner kicks against Seton Hall on Saturday and hold a 117-60 corner kick advantage over their opponents this season.
• XU ranks first in the BIG EAST and third nationally in corner kicks per match (7.31).
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KEEPING BALANCED |
• Sporting a typically-balanced offensive attack, 11 players have recorded a point for Xavier this fall.
• 10 different Musketeers have recorded an assist this season and four XU players have five or more goals (Matt Vasquenza, Cam Taylor, Samson Sergi, Simen Hestnes).
• An impressive five different players have 10 points or more, including Matt Vasquenza (17), Simen Hestnes (16), Samson Sergi (15), Cam Taylor (15) and Josh Grant (10).
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VASQUENZA MAKES HIS MARK |
• Senior forward Matt Vasquenza has been one of the team's go-to scorers throughout his career and is starting to make his mark in the program's all-time record book.
• Vasquenza currently has 64 points in career and tied Charlie Combs (1991-94) with his goal on Saturday against Seton Hall.
• Vasquenza passed Combs with his 24th career tally on Saturday and is now tied for ninth all-time with Vladimir Ciric (1995-96).
• His assist against Providence on Sept. 30 moved him into 10th all-time at Xavier with 16 career helpers.
• Vasquenza has come up in big moments consistently in an XU uniform and has three game-winners this season.
XU MEN'S SOCCER INDIVIDUAL CAREER RECORDS
POINTS
| # | NAME | YEARS | POINTS |
| 1. | Doug Tegge | 1991-94 | 129 |
| 2. | Tom Holton | 1988-91 | 108 |
| 3. | Luke Spencer | 2009-12 | 79 |
| 4. | Maurice Schilten | 1994-95 | 76 |
| Matt Walker | 2010-13 | 76 | |
| 6. | Koen Kuiken | 1997-00 | 71 |
| 7. | Jim Sandmann | 1972-82 | 69 |
| 8. | Josh Hammerschmidt | 1997-00 | 67 |
| 9. | Charlie Combs | 1991-94 | 64 |
| Matt Vasquenza | 2014-Present | 64 | |
| 11. | Will Walker | 2011-14 | 59 |
| 12. | Mike Mossel | 1992-93 | 58 |
| 13. | Martin Hernandez | 1984-87 | 55 |
GOALS
| # | NAME | YEARS | GOALS |
| 1. | Doug Tegge | 1991-94 | 51 |
| 2. | Tom Holton | 1988-91 | 49 |
| 3. | Koen Kuiken | 1997-00 | 30 |
| 4. | Jim Sandman | 1972-82 | 29 |
| Luke Spencer | 2009-12 | 29 | |
| 6. | Maurice Schilten | 1994-95 | 26 |
| Matt Walker | 2010-13 | 26 | |
| 8. | Mike Mossel | 1992-93 | 25 |
| 9. | Vladimir Ciric | 1995-96 | 24 |
| Matt Vasquenza | 2014-Present | 24 | |
| 10. | Charlie Combs | 1991-94 | 23 |
ASSISTS
| # | Name | Years | Assists |
| 1. | Josh Hammerschmidt | 1997-00 | 29 |
| 2. | Doug Tegge | 1991-94 | 27 |
| 3. | Maurice Schildten | 1994-95 | 24 |
| Matt Walker | 2010-13 | 24 | |
| 5. | Will Walker | 2011-14 | 23 |
| 6. | Luke Spencer | 2009-12 | 21 |
| 7. | Rob Bakker | 1998-01 | 19 |
| 8. | Charlie Combs | 1991-94 | 18 |
| 9. | John McVey | 1979-81 | 17 |
| 10. | Matt Vasquenza | 2014-Present | 16 |
| 11. | David Spaccarelli | 1997-98 | 15 |
| Martin Hernandez | 1984-87 | 15 |
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CORY COLLECTS ACCOLADES |
Senior defender Cory Brown, a native of Nelson, New Zealand, has collected an impressive list of awards during the preseason:
BROWN'S 2017 PRESEASON HONORS
• MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
• Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (second straight season)
• Unanimous selection to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
• Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI Second Team
• College Soccer News Preseason All-America Second Team
• No. 13 on Top Drawer Soccer list of best players in college soccer
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2017 HONORS |
| NAME | BIG EAST AWARDS (Date) | RELEASE |
| Cam Taylor | BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (8/28) | Link |
| Simen Hestnes | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/11) | Link |
| Cam Taylor | BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (9/18) | Link |
| Zach Nelson | BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week (9/18) | Link |
| Samson Sergi | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (9/18) | Link |
| Samson Sergi | BIG EAST Player of the Week (10/2) | Link |
| Zach Nelson | BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (10/2) | Link |
| Matt Vasquenza | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/9) | Link |
| Josh Grant | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/23) | Link |
| Colin Hanley | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/23) | Link |
| Sam Buzzas | BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (10/30) | Link |
| Matt Vasquenza | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (10/30) | Link |
| NATIONAL AWARDS (Date) | ||
| Samson Sergi | College Soccer News National Team of the Week (9/18) | Link |
| Cam Taylor | United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week (9/19) | Link |
| Cam Taylor | NCAA Soccer National Player of the Week (9/20) | Link |
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GETTING UP OFF THE MAT |
• Xavier has bounced back after losses consistently under head coach Andy Fleming, including a 3-0 win over Drake, a 4-1 win over Providence and a 1-0 win against Marquette this fall.
• Since 2010, XU has compiled a record of 23-11-4 (.658) after a loss.
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PRESEASON WRAP-UP |
• Xavier ended the 2017 preseason with a 1-1-1 record, including a 3-0 win over Marian (Ind.) and a 1-1 draw against ACC foe Duke.
• In the result against Duke, XU outshot the Blue Devils 15-6 and had a 12-5 edge in corners.
• Matt Vasquenza scored goals in all three preseason games after scoring in each of the Musketeers' spring matches as well, giving him a goal in nine straight exhibitions.
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WHAT'S BACK |
• Xavier returns 19 letterwinners and seven starters from last season's team, including its leading scorer in Matt Vasquenza and top defender in Cory Brown.
• The roster consists of eight freshmen, 10 sophomores, seven juniors and four seniors. 10 of those players are newcomers to the roster, including transfers Sean Wilson (UNC) and Simen Hestnes (LIU Brooklyn).
• XU's leading scorer in 2016, Matt Vasquenza brings back 17 career goals and should reach the top-10 in program history with another productive season.
• XU's typically-balanced offense saw 11 players record an assist or score a goal last season. Seven players who contributed points last season return to this year's roster, although senior Matt Nance (3g, 4a) will miss the season with an injury.
• The senior class of Cory Brown, Matt Vasquenza, Matt Nance and Josh Grant have led the team to a 35-20-6 (.623) record since 2014.
• The Musketeers bring back 59.3 percent (16-of-27) of their scoring and 59.8 percent (52-of-87) of their points.
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HOLES TO FILL |
• Midfielders Jalen Brown and Majed Osman departed after combining for 107 shots and eight goals last season. Both offensive weapons made 19 starts and leave big shoes to fill in the Musketeer midfield.
• Another midfielder, Walker Andriot, transferred to Louisville for his final season of eligibility after contributing a goal and three assists in 19 starts last season.
• Longtime stalwart Todd Pratzner graduated after making 70 career starts at center back for XU.
• In addition to player turnover, XU has an entirely new look on the sidelines with David Costa, Kevin Reiman and Jamie Starr all new additions to the coaching staff. Starr returns to XU as goalkeepers coach after spending over a year with the USL club FC Cincinnati.
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BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL |
1. Providence (9) – 81 pts.
2. Creighton (1) – 70
3. Butler – 68
4. Villanova – 52
5. Georgetown – 46
6. Xavier – 45
7. Marquette – 30
8. St. John's – 27
9. DePaul – 21
10. Seton Hall – 10
First place votes in ( )
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BIG EAST PRESEASON HONORS |
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Mac Steeves, Providence, RS-Sr., F *
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Cory Brown, Xavier, Sr., D *
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, Jr. *
2017 Men's Soccer Preseason All-BIG EAST #
Ricky Lopez-Espin, Creighton, Sr., F
Mac Steeves, Providence, RS-Sr., F
Harry Cooksley, St. John's, So., F ^
Lewis Suddick, Butler, So., M
Jared Timmer, Butler, Jr., M
Christopher Lema, Georgetown, Sr., M
Luka Prpa, Marquette, So., M
Andreas Bartosinksi, Villanova, Sr., M
Lucas Stauffer, Creighton, Jr., D
Mark Jecewiz, Providence, RS-Jr., D
Cory Brown, Xavier, Sr., D ^
JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, Jr., GK
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AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE |
• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last seven seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in six of the last seven seasons.
• Xavier is the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.
• XU has qualified for five consecutive BIG EAST Championships, including a trip to the title game in 2014.
• XU has been ranked in the nation's top-10 three times in the last five years. by the NSCAA.
• In 2015, XU knocked off 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.
• Three XU players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last six years, including 2017 second rounder Jalen Brown (38th overall).
Players Mentioned
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