Thursday, October 5
Indianapolis, Ind.
7 PM
Xavier University
at
Butler
Women's Soccer Looks to Extend Winning Streak at RV Butler
10.04.17 | Women's Soccer
Musketeers and Bulldogs face off on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7 PM
CINCINNATI – Xavier women's soccer (7-4-2; 3-0 BIG EAST) faces a tough task as it looks to extend a season-best winning streak against one of the stingiest defenses in Division I, facing the RV Butler Bulldogs (9-1-2; 2-0-1 BIG EAST) on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7:00 p.m.
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THE MATCHUP |
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Xavier Musketeers at
Butler Bulldogs Thursday, Oct. 5 | 7 PM Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl |
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PREVIEWING BUTLER |
- The Bulldog enter the game on a 10-game unbeaten streak after topping Providence, 2-1, in double overtime on Sunday, Oct. 1.
- The 2-1 game against the Friars featured one of only two goals allowed by the Bulldogs defense which is currently ranked No. 1 in the country in goals against average (0.158), save percentage (0.96) and shutout percentage (0.833).
- In the 10-game unbeaten streak, the Bulldogs have picked up eight shutout wins, over MSU, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Cleveland State, at No. 10 Texas A&M, Indiana State, Chicago State and Marquette.
- Prior to the Providence match, BU also picked up a shutout and a result in a 0-0 double-overtime draw at Seton Hall. Butler also opened the season with a 0-0 draw at No. 18 Notre Dame.
- BU's only loss of the season came in the first week of the season, a 1-0 loss at Ohio.
- Hanna Luedtke anchors the Butler defense in-frame, posting the top GAA (0.154) and save percentage (0.962) in NCAA Division I. Luedtke has faced 25 shots with just one goal against for a record of 6-1-1
- Leonie Doege has split time in goal with Luedtke, collecting 23 shots with one goal against in nine appearances.
- Paige Monaghan leads the Bulldogs on offensive with 13 points on four goals and five assists.
- Caitlyn Disarcina leads Butler with five goals. Halle Stelbaskey has posted three goals and Gabrielle Lemkuil has a pair.
- Overall, 13 Bulldogs have tallied this season.
- Butler finished last season 11-7-2 (4-4-1 BIG EAST).
- The Bulldogs earned a trip to the BIG EAST Championship, falling to eventual champion Georgetown in BIG EAST Quarterfinals.
- In last season's match at Xavier, Butler posted a three-tally first half. Senior Rachel Piccus, who left the game in the first half with an injury, returned in the second half for her final appearance as a Musketeer. Piccus shared time on frame with Libby Grace for the second-half shutout.
- Xavier stands at 7-11-2 all-time against Butler.
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XU STATS |
- Xavier moved to 7-4-2 overall and 3-0 in BIG EAST play. The win adds to a program-best conference winning streak since joining the conference in 2013.
- Three games into the the nine-game BIG EAST regular season, Xavier stands atop the conference standings with No. 17 Georgetown at 3-0. Butler also remains unbeaten at 2-0-1.
- The three-game winning streak is the first longest for the Musketeers since Sept. 2015, when the Musketeers won three straight over Marian, IUPUI and EKU.
- The three-game conference winning streak is the longest for Xavier since 2003, when the Musketeers put together a 5-0 streak to close out the regular season, and extended the streak to six with a win in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
- The 3-0 start in conference is the best start for the team since starting the 1997 A10 schedule with a 6-0 mark.
- Just three games into the conference slate Xavier has matched it's highest BIG EAST win total from 2015, when the Musketeers went 3-6-0 in conference play.
- The road win was the first of the season for the Musketeers, who stand at 1-2 away from home. Its the third win on the road in BIG EAST play for the program, and the second at Villanova.
- Xavier picked up its seventh win of the season, matching the win total from last season with six games remaining in the regular season.
- Sydney Schembri added to her team-high goals and points against Villanova, with her season total standing at five goals for 10 points. Schembri ranks T-4th in the BIG EAST for goals and ninth on points.
- Schembri's three game-winners leads the Musketeers and tie for the most in-conference. The number ranks 29th in NCAA Division I.
- Emma Westwater stands at second on the team with nine points on four goals and an assist. Her point total ranks T-10th in the conference and her tallies rank T-8th.
- Tori Doss added three points over the weekend to match Samantha Dewey for third most on team.
- Carrie Lewis leads the team with four assists, ranked T-3rd in the BIG EAST for total assists and T-5th in the BIG EAST with 0.31 assists per game.
- Toni Bizzarro ranks third in the BIG EAST in save percentage at .823.
- Bizzarro's total saves (65) rank second in the BIG EAST and 31st in NCAA D-I. Her saves per game (5.42) ranks second in the conference and 54th in the country.
- As a team, Xavier ranks in the top five in the conference in total points (44 - 5th), total goals (16 - T-4th) and total assists (12 - T-4th).
- Defensively, Musketeers lead the conference in saves (72) as a team and rank fourth in goals against average (1.10).
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LAST TIME OUT |
- Xavier picked up a third-straight win on Sunday after topping Villanova, 1-0.
- Sydney Schembri scored the game winner in the 65th minute after Maddie Tierney served the ball ahead from the back edge of the middle third of the field. Schembri and Tori Doss broke ahead of the defense and the VU goalkeeper came off her line to collect the ball. As the keeper dove for the ball, Doss tapped it away to Schembri. With the keeper on the ground, Schembri worked the ball into the six-yard box, tapping the ball into an open net.
- Schembri's goal brings her total to a team-high five goals, including three game-winners.
- Doss picked up the assist on the goal, her second of the season.
- VU outshot the Musketeers, 8-4, and held a 5-3 advantage on corner kicks.
- Toni Bizzarro made three saves with no goals against for her second-straight clean sheet, and third of the season. Bizzarro's record moves to 7-4-1 on the season.
- Carly Alfano and Maddie Tierney played the full 90 minute on the back line while Carrie Lewis played full time in midfield.
- Xavier moves to 3-2-0 all time and extends its winning streak to three-straight against the Wildcats.
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UP NEXT |
- Xavier returns home to host DePaul on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1:00 p.m. The Musketeer will celebrate Senior Day prior to the match with the Blue Demons.
- Following DePaul, the Musketeers have an extended break, before traveling to Marquette on Saturday, Oct. 14.
- Xavier closes out its home schedule on Thursday, Oct. 19 against Seton Hall.
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WEEKLY HONORS |
- Redshirt-senior Tori Doss and sophomore Toni Bizzarro each earned a weekly award from the BIG EAST Conference on Monday.
- Doss was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week after playing a role in both game-winning goals. Doss picked up three points over the weekend, scoring the game-winner against Providence and assisting on Sydney Schembri's game winner at Villanova.
- Bizzarro was named Goalkeeper of the Week after a pair of clean sheets helped Xavier women's soccer move to 3-0 in BIG EAST play for the first time since joining the conference. Bizzarro collected 11 saves through two games last weekend, including an eight-save outing against Providence to pick up the first win over the Friars since 1995. The two shut-out wins adds to Bizzarro's career best marks, bringing her season totals to seven wins with three shutouts.
- Doss and Bizzarro's accolades are the first major weekly awards for the Musketeers in 2017. Four Musketeers have earned BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll accolades this season. Samantha Dewey picked up the honor in weeks one and two of the season. Andie Kennard was named to the Honor Roll for the week of Sept. 4. Emma Westwater earned the accolade for the week of Sept. 11 and Schembri earned Weekly Honor Roll accolades for the week of Sept. 25.
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