Women's Soccer Heads to North Carolina to Face No. 12 Duke on Sunday

Sunday, August 20

Durham, N.C.

1 PM

Xavier University

Duke

Women's Soccer Heads to North Carolina to Face No. 12 Duke on Sunday

08.19.17 | Women's Soccer

Season Stats (PDF)Live Stats Duke Women's Soccer Info

Musketeers picked up the season-opening with over Cleveland State on Friday night

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – After topping Cleveland State at home to open the season, the Musketeers head to Durham, N.C. to face the No. 12 Duke Blue Devils on Sunday, August 20 at 1:00 p.m. The game will be live streamed through WatchESPN on the ACC Network Extra channel.

THE MATCHUP

Xavier Musketeers at
Duke Blue Devils
Sunday, Aug. 20 | 1 PM
Koskinen Stadium

PREVIEWING DUKE

The Blue Devils opened the season on Friday night with a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 6 North Carolina. Duke took the lead in the 24th minute on a goal from Taylor Racioppi. UNC answered less than 10 minutes later to set the score in a draw for the rest of regulation. In overtime, UNC ended the game on a golden goal in the third minute.
Duke comes into the first week of the season with a No. 12 ranking from United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) and the No. 13 ranking from Soccer America.
Duke finished the 2016 season 15-5-3 overall and 7-2-1 in ACC play. The Blue Devils earned an at-large bid to the 2016 NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed, advancing to the quarterfinals where they fell to eventual national runners-up, West Virginia.
Duke finished last season ranked No. 7 in the NSCAA top 25 and had three players named NSCAA All-Region, including Ella Stevens, who returns for her junior season in 2017.
The match-up is the first in the series between Xavier and Duke.

LAST TIME OUT

Xavier took the 3-2 win over Cleveland State on Friday evening. After a scoreless first half, Xavier went ahead 3-0 after scoring three goals in a 10-minute span. CSU answer with a pair in the final 15 minutes of the match but couldn't connect on the equalizer.
Less than 20 minutes into the second half, Jessica Miller brought the ball up the field, playing to the right corner. Miller passed to Samantha Dewey on the right side of the net, and the junior worked the ball across the penalty box and buried it in the left corner.
Dewey struck in the 70th minute again on a similar set-up from Emma Westwater after the junior transfer from Canisius played the ball to the right side of the net. She crossed to Dewey in front of the net on the left side where Dewey finished to put the Musketeers up 2-0.
Samantha Dewey's two goals matches the second most in a single game in her Xavier career, matching her pair of goals in last year's win at Dayton. Her career high stands at three goals in a 5-0 win over Marian during her freshman season.
In the 72nd minute Sydney Schembri added a second off a pass in front of the net from Emily Burton. Sydney Schembri's first tally of her college career goes down as the game-winner. Both of her shots on the night were on-frame.
Xavier out-shot CSU 12-10, with eight of those looks on-goal. Emily Burton and Tori Doss each recorded a pair of shots.
Toni Bizzarro picked up the win, the fourth of her career, after collecting four saves in 90 minutes. Bizzarro finished with two goals against, both coming in the final 15 minutes of the match.
Carly Alfano played the full 90 minutes on the Xavier backline.
The was Nate Lie's first win as a head coach.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers return home the next weekend, hosting Ball State on Friday, August 25 at 4:30 p.m. at the XU Soccer Complex. The match-up with the Cardinals is the first game of a double-header with men's soccer, who will face Loyola Chicago at 7:30 p.m.
Xavier remains home for its Sunday match, hosting Pittsburgh on Aug. 27 at 1:00 p.m. The game with the Panthers is also a double-header, with the Xavier men facing Drake at 5:00 p.m.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

Xavier's next home game, Friday, August 25 against Ball State will be a Friday Night Doubleheader with men's soccer. One ticket provides admission to both the men's and women's soccer games that day.
The game against Ball State will also feature a poster giveaway. The first 250 fans in attendance will receive the 2017 Women's Soccer poster.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE

Xavier men's and women's soccer season tickets are now on sale. Season ticket buyers will receive a limited edition Xavier soccer scarf with their purchase, marking the sixth year of the scarf program.
Season tickets are just $25 each and include the limited edition scarf. Season ticket buyers will receive tickets that will provide admission to both men's and women's soccer regular season matches held at the Xavier Soccer Complex.
Women's soccer will host a number of local opponents including Northern Kentucky and Dayton in addition to four BIG EAST foes as part of an 11-match home schedule.
Soccer season tickets can be purchased online now. They can also be purchased by returning the order form or calling the Xavier Athletics Ticket office at 513-745-3411 x. 7. Season ticket buyers will be able to pick up their limited edition scarf at all August home matches, but should remember to bring their tickets to all matches for admission.
For questions about the 2017 soccer season ticket campaign, contact Xavier Athletics Marketing at 513-745-3378 or athmktg@xavier.edu.