Women's Soccer Host No. 5 Seed DePaul in BIG EAST Championship Opening Round

Sunday, October 28

Cincinnati, Ohio

4:00 PM

Xavier University

DePaul

Women's Soccer Host No. 5 Seed DePaul in BIG EAST Championship Opening Round

10.26.18 | Women's Soccer

Live Stats Live Stream

Musketeers and Blue Demons set for 4 PM first touch on Sunday

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – After Xavier women's soccer (10-7-2; 4-3-2 BIG EAST) closed out the regular season with a hard-fought draw with No. 4 Georgetown, the Musketeers earned its first post-season home match since joining the conference. Xavier, seeded No. 4, will host No. 5 seed DePaul on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4:00 p.m.

The winner of Sunday's match, which will be available for live stream through the BIG EAST Digital Network, advances to face No. 1 seed Georgetown in the BIG EAST Semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 1 in Washington, D.C.

THE MATCHUP

No. 4 Xavier Musketeers vs.
No. 5 DePaul Blue Demons
Sunday, Oct. 28 | 4 PM
XU Soccer Complex
Watch Live | Live Stats

BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

PREVIEWING DEPAUL

DePaul enters the game at 8-6-4 overall and 4-3-2 in BIG EAST play, earning a spot in the conference championship with a win over St. John's on Thursday evening.
The Blue Demons topped SJU after Jade Eriksen-Russo scored the game-winner in the 1-0 match for a second-straight game. Eriksen-Russo also tallied the game-winner in a 1-0 win against Villanova to help DePaul earn a seventh-straight bid to the BIG EAST Championships.
The result was the third straight for the Blue Demons, including the wins over SJU and VU and a 0-0 draw against Providence.
Franny Cerny leads DePaul on offense with 19 points on eight goals and three assists. Cerny's goals leads the team and her assist total match Avery hay for most on the squad.
Morgan Turner has 12 points on five goals and a pair of assists, and Madeline Frick stands just behind her with 10 points on four goals and two assists.
Mollie Eriksson has played the bulk of the time in frame, starting all 18 matches, collecting 62 saves with 16 goals against.
Earlier this season, Xavier women's soccer picked up the first win in program history against DePaul on Sunday, a 3-2 double overtime win, with the golden goal coming from Samantha Dewey on a penalty kick in the fourth minute of the second overtime.
In the regular season match, on Oct. 7, Xavier scored first, shortly after halftime. Off a shot from a corner kick, the ball was deflected to the top of the box, Xavier knocked it back towards the net and Allison Klimkowski found the ball behind the DePaul defense and shot low to the left corner for the 1-0 lead.
Xavier tallied again in the 64th minute. After a play off a free kick just outside the box came back to her, Grace Bahr shot from outside the penalty box, straight on for the 2-0 lead.
DePaul responded in the 71st minute when Jackie Batliner crossed the ball into the box from the right side, finding Madeline Frick at the far post. Frick tapped it in to cut into Xavier's lead, 2-1.
DePaul's equalizer came less than five minutes later when DePaul's Jessica Lazo served the ball from the left side to Franny Cerny who used a header to left corner to tie the score at 2-2.
In the fourth minute of the second overtime, a DePaul handball in the box led to a penalty kick for the Musketeers, taken by Samantha Dewey. Dewey shot low and to the left while the keeper went right to win the game, 3-2.
Xavier out-shot DePaul 23-11, including 10 looks on frame to just five for the Blue Demons. Sydney Schembri, Samantha Dewey and Andie Kennard each recorded four shots for the Musketeers.
Toni Bizzarro played the full 104 minutes in frame with three saves and two goals against. Hayley Jakovich joined Bahr and Klimkowski in playing the full 104 minutes on the Xavier backline.
Xavier is 1-4-1 all time against DePaul. Last season's 1-1 draw through double overtime in Cincinnati last season was the program's first result against the Blue Demons.
In 2017, DU took the lead in the first half, holding the advantage until the 82nd minute when Tori Doss scored the equalizer. Toni Bizzarro collected seven saves to hold the Blue Demons at a single goal through double overtime. The result was the first against the Blue Demons in program history.

LAST TIME OUT - GEORGETOWN

Xavier women's soccer (10-7-2, 4-3-2 BIG EAST) earned its first-ever result against a top-five team on Thursday, playing the No. 4 Georgetown Hoyas to a 0-0 draw through double-overtime to close out the regular season.
The draw ended a 14-game winning streak for the unbeaten Hoyas (15-0-3, 8-0-1 BIG EAST) and secured home-field advantage for the BIG EAST Quarterfinals for the first time since joining the conference in 2013.
Toni Bizzarro played the full 110 minutes in frame for the Musketeers, collecting a pair of saves to keep Georgetown scoreless. The shutout was her eighth of the season.
Hayley Jakovich, Grace Bahr and Allison Klimkowski also played the full-time on the Xavier backline, limiting the Hoyas to a season-low three shots on-frame. GU's previous season low was five (against DePaul and Virginia Tech). Bahr also made a goal-line save in the first half to keep GU off the board.
Xavier was only the second team this season to hold Georgetown scoreless. Duke also played GU to a 0-0 draw on Aug. 23.
Xavier held a 13-9 advantage on shots, including a 11-4 advantage after halftime. The Musketeers join DePaul as the only BIG EAST squads to out-shoot the Hoyas this season.
Samantha Dewey led the Musketeers with four shots. Sydney Schembri added a pair, including a good look in the second half that hit the crossbar. Brooke Sroka also finished with two looks.
Both teams had three looks on frame. GU led 9-6 on corner kicks.
The draw against Georgetown was the first for a BIG EAST team this season, and the first result in 15 matches against the unbeaten Hoyas.
The result was the first against GU for the Musketeers in program history, and the first result against a top-five ranked program in program history.
The draw was the second of the season for the Musketeers, also playing Butler, the No. 2 seed in the BIG EAST Championship, to a scoreless draw.
The match was Xavier's sixth overtime match of the season, the Musketeers stand a 3-1-2 in extra time in 2018.

XAVIER STATS

At 10-7-2, the Musketeers are guaranteed to finish above .500 for the first time since 2013.
The win against Seton Hall was Xavier's 10th of the season, the first time hitting the 10-win mark since 2003's 12-8-1 season.
Xavier finished the regular season in fourth place in the BIG EAST, the best finish for the program since joining the conference.
The draw brought Xavier's point total in the BIG EAST standings to 14, tying last year's program best mark.
Xavier's defense forced its ninth shutout of the season against Georgetown, the most since 2000's school-record 11 shutouts. The Musketeers rank second in the BIG EAST for shutouts on the season.
Nine shutouts stand as the second most in a single season in program history, matching 1985 and 1991's season totals.
Freshmen Allison Klimkowski and Hayley Jakovich have started every game in the backfield this season. Grace Bahr joined Klimkowski and Jakovich in the starting backfield in each of Xavier's past 14 matches and the trio has totaled over 1570 minutes each.
Carrie Lewis and Rachel Dewey have both played over 1300 minutes in midfield for the Musketeers.
Goalkeeper Toni Bizzarro has played 17 matches in-frame, making 74 saves with 15 goals against for a GAA of 0.83 which ranks fourth in the BIG EAST. Her save percentage of .831 ranks third in the conference and 53rd in NCAA DI.
Bizzarro has a record of 9-6-2 with eight shutouts to her credit. Her eight shutouts rank third most in the conference and 22nd in the country.
Olivia Jenkins has appeared in-frame twice this season, collecting six saves with three goals against for a GAA of 1.50. She picked up the first win and shutout of her college career against Southern Indiana.
Samantha Dewey's goal against SHU brings her team-high total to eight, and her assist on Lewis' goal added to her team-high assist total at six, bringing her team-high point total to 22, the most Musketeer player since Dewey's own 22 point freshman season in 2015. Her total points rank third in the conference.
Dewey is third in the BIG EAST on assists and shots taken and fourth in goals scored.
Dewey also has four game-winning goals on the season, tied for the second most in the conference and for 36th in NCAA DI.
Grace Bahr has three goals, combined with an assist, for seven points, second most on the team.
Carrie Lewis' goal was her second of the season and first of BIG EAST play. Her point total stands at four for the season, matching Molly McLaughlin and Brooke Sroka, who added a point on an assist on Emily Burton's goal, for fourth most on the team.
Brooke Sroka and Andie Kennard each have a goal and an assist for three points.
Emily Burton's tally was the first of her Xavier career. She's the 15th Musketeer to score a goal, joining Claire Fisher, Allison Klimkowski, Sabrina Kunimoto, Rachel Butler, Kenadie Carlson, Isabella Langush, Rachel Dewey and Carrie Lewis who each have two points on a goal.
Courtney Lankford, Grace Brauer, Jenna Leslie and Olivia Popovich each have a point on an assist.
Through 19 games, Xavier has 15 goal scorers. The Musketeers needed just seven games to surpass last year's total of six goal scorers. Xavier also has 19 players who have recorded points, surpassing last year's total of 11.
Kunimoto's goal against Villanova was the 20th tally of the season for the Musketeers, surpassing last year's total of 19. Xavier has 27 goals on the season, the most since scoring 28 in the 2015 campaign with two regular season matches remaining.
Xavier's offense is second in the BIG EAST in shots, goals and corner kicks earned and third in points.

USC REGIONAL RANKINGS

After moving up to No. 9 in last week's USC Regional Rankings, Xavier moved back to No. 10 in the East, this week after going 1-1 against Seton Hall and St. John's.
The East rankings features four BIG EAST schools, including undefeated Georgetown at No.1. The Hoyas are also ranked No. 4 nationally, as well as No. 4 Butler and No. 8 Providence.

WEEKLY AWARDS

After a week where Xavier women's soccer only surrendered one goal and limited opponents to just five shots on goal through two games, defender Hayley Jakovich was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week.
In a 1-1 week for the Musketeers, Jakovich played full time in both matches, helping anchor Xavier's defense. In Xavier's 3-0 win, the Musketeers out-shot Seton Hall 15-7, including 6-3 on net, in Xavier's eighth shutout of the season.
Jakovich also helped the Musketeers also limited St. John's to just three shots, including two on target, in Sunday's setback. The native of Eureka, Mo. has started every game for the Xavier defense this season, totaling 1523 minutes of action during her rookie campaign, just a minute shy of Grace Bahr's team-high mark.
The weekly award is Jakovich's first and the fifth for the Musketeers this season, joining Toni Bizzarro, who was twice named the Goalkeeper of the Week, Allison Klimkowski, who was named Freshman of the Week on Oct. 8, and Grace Bahr, who was the Defender of the Week for the week of Sept. 17. Samantha Dewey and Sydney Schembri have also been recognized by the conference, earning BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll honors.

USC TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD

Xavier women's soccer earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the fourth straight year, and eighth year overall.
The Musketeers posted a department-best grade point average of 3.67 for the 2017-18 academic year, with 22 team members earning BIG EAST All-Academic for posting a grade point average of 3.0 or above.
The USC Team Academic Award distinction is awarded to programs with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher for the academic year. In total, 773 soccer teams, including 484 women's squads and 289 men's, earned the award for the 2017-18 academic year.
Xavier was one of the 192 schools with both their men's and women's programs recognized.
Xavier women's soccer, which has earned Public Recognition from the NCAA for posting a perfect 1000 in the Academic Progress Rate score three years in a row, also earned the USC Team Academic Award in 2001, 2011-13 and 2015-17.

XU LINEUP

Xavier returns 75 percent of its scoring from last season, including the scorers of 14 of the team's 19 goals.
Leading scorer Sydney Schembri is back after finishing with 12 points on six goals as a rookie, earning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and All-Freshman Team honors.
Emma Westwater returns as a senior after a nine-point junior season, scored on four goals and an assist.
The Musketeers' attack is bolstered by the return of two of the program's most prolific scorers in recent years, redshirt junior Samantha Dewey and redshirt senior Kenadie Carlson.
Xavier also adds a pair of transfers up front, Sabrina Kunimoto, a sophomore from Delaware, and Raechel Eck, a grad transfer from Akron with two years of eligibility remaining.
Four freshmen also join Xavier's offensive attack, Grace Brauer, Makenna Jordahl, Reagan Norvell and Brooke Sroka
Xavier returns the core of its midfield with Carrie Lewis and Courtney Lankford who, combined, accounted for six of Xavier's 14 assists on the season.
Lewis led the Musketeers with four in a season where she started every match, while Lankford added a pair.
Jessica Miller, who started two of the first three games last season before sitting out due to injury, also returns. Emily Burton and Abby O'Keefe combined to make 16 starts last season after Miller's injury. O'Keefe assisted on a pair of goals and Burton added an assist as well. Makayla Kolberg, who made multiple starts in 2017, and Megan Sullivan, who appeared in 15 matches, also return.
The Musketeers brought in a pair of experienced transfers in the midfield for the 2018 spring season, Claire Fisher, a sophomore transfer from Tennessee, and Grace Bahr, a junior transfer from Wisconsin.
Rachel Dewey, younger sister of Samantha Dewey, makes up part of a quartet of freshmen midfielders, which also includes Jordan Reddington, Molly McLaughlin and Rachel Butler.
Xavier returns defender Andie Kennard for her senior season after a junior campaign where she was second on the team in minutes played. Kennard also recorded her first career goal in 2017, the game-winner against Ohio.
Redshirt-freshman Abi Janszen also returns for the Musketeers after being limited to three appearance due to injury.
Five newcomers join the backfield, freshmen Hayley Jakovich, Isabella Langusch, Jenna Leslie, Allison Klimkowski and Olivia Popovich.
Goalkeeper Toni Bizzarro, who started all 19 games she appeared in last season, returns for her junior season. Bizzarro collected eight wins, including four shutouts last season, making 106 saves for a .828 save percentage with a GAA of 1.09.
Xavier added a pair of freshmen goalkeepers, Olivia Jenkins and Caroline Welsh, to join Bizzarro.

DEWEY NAMED PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST

For a second-straight season, Xavier women's soccer's Samantha Dewey was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
The red-shirt junior forward is the first Musketeer to earn preseason conference honor in back-to-back years since joining the conference. Last season, her nomination was the first preseason nod for a Musketeer since Xavier joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
Dewey, a native of Fairland, Ind., appeared in the first five matches in 2017 before sitting out the remainder due to injury. In her shortened season, Dewey still tallied three goals, fourth most on the team. Dewey led the Musketeers in scoring during the first five games of the season, tallying a pair in a win against Cleveland State and scoring the game winner against Ball State. She was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll twice in the first two weeks of the season.
Prior to the 2017 season, Dewey led the Musketeers in points in each of her two previous seasons at Xavier. After posting 20 points on eight goals and four assists in 2016, Dewey was named Second Team All-BIG EAST, making her the first Musketeer to earn first or second team honors since joining the conference. Dewey was also named to the All-Ohio Second Team after the 2016 season.
As a freshman, Dewey was a unanimous selection to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team after a 22-point rookie campaign. She was twice conference rookie of the week and has earned BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll honors fives times in her career.

2017 IN REVIEW

The Musketeers, picked to finish seventh in the BIG EAST, are coming off a fifth-place finish in the 2017 season, which earned the program's first berth to the BIG EAST Championship since joining the conference and the program's first conference championship appearance since 2003.
In Nate Lie's first season as head coach, Xavier finished the season 8-8-4 overall, marking the first season at .500 or above since 2013, when Xavier finished 9-8-1. The Musketeers' record of 4-3-2 in BIG EAST play, posting a winning conference record for the first time since 2005. Xavier finished the regular season with a program-best 14 points in the BIG EAST standings.
The Musketeers limited 16 of 20 opponents to a single goal or less, including every BIG EAST regular season match-up.
In addition to Sydney Schembri's Freshman of the Year and All-Freshman Team honors, seniors Tori Doss and Carly Alfano both earned Second Team All-BIG EAST and CoSIDA Academic All-American after last season.