Women's Soccer Opens Spring Schedule with 3-1 Win Over Wright State

Saturday, April 1

Cincinnati, Ohio

6 p.m.

Xavier University

Wright State

Women's Soccer Opens Spring Schedule with 3-1 Win Over Wright State

04.03.17 | Women's Soccer

Musketeers score three times in the second half

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's soccer opened the spring exhibition schedule with a 3-1 win over the Wright State Raiders on Saturday, April 1 at XU Soccer Complex.

"Today's result, against a very talented Wright State team, was a great start to our spring season," said head coach Kacey White. "Our staff is proud of the buy-in from our players this spring season and its translation into the 11 versus 11 environment. The players attacked the game with poise, confidence, competitiveness, resiliency and a sense of identity, which was exciting to see. Now we focus to our challenge ahead, playing an extremely talented team, in National Finalist West Virginia."

Xavier and Wright State went into the break in a 0-0 draw. Out of halftime Abby O'Keefe tallied first for the Musketeers. Wright State responded to put the game into a 1-1 draw.

Courtney Lankford scored the eventual game-winner and in the final 10 minutes Samantha Dewey added an insurance goal off a penalty kick to set the final score at 3-1.

UP NEXT: WEST VIRGINIA

Xavier continues its spring schedule on Saturday, April 8 when the Musketeers travel to Morgantown, W. Va. to face off against last year's national runners-up West Virginia.

Kickoff with the Mountaineers is set for 3:00 p.m. at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

WVU is coming off a 23-2-2 record where the Mountaineers made the NCAA College Cup Final after earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. West Virginia finished the season with the No. 2 ranking in the country after spending seven straight weeks during the season on the top of the polls.

The Mountaineers return 19 from the Big 12 regular season and tournament champions, a roster that included three NSCAA All-Americans and seven All-Big 12 Honorees, but WVU did lose MAC Hermann Trophy winner Kadeisha Buchanan to graduation.

Xavier has played WVU once in non-exhibition play, a 5-1 loss in 2007

SPRING SCHEDULE WRAP-UP

After facing WVU, the Musketeers close out the spring schedule at Purdue on April 15. The Musketeers will take on the Boilermakers at 2:00 p.m. at Folk Field in West Lafayette, Ind.

Purdue finished the 2016 season 4-12-1 overall and 2-8-1 in Big 10 play. The Boilermaker's fall roster featured 13 seniors, by seven starters are returning.

Xavier is 1-2 in official contests with the Boilermakers, last facing off in 2015.