Women's Soccer Advances to BIG EAST Semifinals on PKs Over DePaul

Sunday, October 28

Cincinnati, Ohio

4:00 PM

Xavier University

10-7-3, 4-3-2BE

DePaul

8-6-5, 4-3-2BE

OT 3

OT 4

DePaul

Xavier

Women's Soccer Advances to BIG EAST Semifinals on PKs Over DePaul

10.28.18 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

Musketeers advance in conference tournament for the first time since 2003

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - After playing DePaul to a 1-1 draw through double-overtime, Xavier women's soccer (10-7-3, 4-3-2 BIG EAST) went 4-for-4 on penalty kicks, with a pair of stops on PKs for Olivia Jenkins in goal, to advance to the BIG EAST Semifinals for the first time in program history.

Xavier took the lead in the 63rd minute on Samantha Dewey's ninth goal of the season. DePaul responded with an equalizer 10 minutes later and the draw held through double overtime, forcing penalty kicks to determine which team would advance.

BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP

Xavier advanced to the BIG EAST Semifinals for the first time since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers will take on the No. 1 seed Georgetown Hoyas on Thursday, Nov.1 at 1:35 PM in Washington, D.C.
The winner of Thursday's match advances to the BIG EAST Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 4, to be hosted by the higher seed.
On the other side of the bracket, No. 6 seeded Providence beat St. John's to move on to face No. 2 Butler.

HOW THEY SCORED

63' | XAVIER | Allison Klimkowski served the ball toward the box from around midfield. Grace Brauer, just outside the penalty box, brought the ball down and passed to Samantha Dewey. Dewey worked the ball past several defenders, shooting to the left corner to give Xavier the 1-0 lead.

74' | DEPAUL | From the right side of the box, Jade Erikson-Russo served the ball to Avery Hay on the left side of the net. Hay slid into a shot, sneaking the ball just inside the right post.

SHOOTOUT

DePaul goalkeeper Mollie Eriksson remained in frame for the Blue Demons while freshman Olivia Jenkins came off the bench to relieve Toni Bizzarro for the Musketeers.
DePaul went first, with Franny Cerny shooting to the lower right. Jenkins made the stop. Xavier followed with Grace Bahr, who shot to the lower left while Eriksson went right, putting Xavier up 1-0 after the first round.
In the second round, Madeline Frick found the back of the net for DePaul while Molly McLaughlin shot straight past Eriksson into the right corner to keep Xavier ahead, 2-1.
Mikaela Hoard went next for the Blue Demons, shooting to the left, Jenkins punched it out. Rachel Butler shot to the left corner for the Musketeers, putting Xavier ahead 3-1.
In the fourth round, DU's Jade Eriksen-Russo's shot was successful, but Claire Fisher's look to the right of the goalkeeper went in, securing Xavier's advantage at 4-2 without needing a fifth round.

NOTABLE

The match marks the first time the Musketeers have advanced in the postseason since 2003, when Xavier topped St. Joseph's, 2-0, in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
This is the first time Xavier has advanced on PKs since the 1998 Atlantic 10 Championship match against Dayton, earning the program's first berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Samantha Dewey's goal was her ninth of the season, bringing her team-high point total to 24, a new career-best mark which tops her previous career-high point total of 22. Dewey's 24 point marks the most for a Musketeer since Lauren Giesting's 25 points in 2003.
Dewey led Xavier with five shots, including four on-frame, as Xavier held a 15-14 advantage on shots overall. Each team had six attempts on-goal.
Molly McLaughlin had four attempts on the day.
Toni Bizzarro played 110 minutes in frame for the Musketeers, collecting five saves.
Hayley Jakovich, Grace Bahr and Allison Klimkowski also played the full 110 minutes on the Xavier backline.
Rachel Dewey played 105 minutes in the Xavier midfield.
Xavier went 4-of-4 on PKs, with makes for Grace Bahr, Molly McLaughlin, Rachel Butler and Claire Fisher.
Olivia Jenkins went in-frame for the penalty kicks, marking the first time in her career she's done so. Jenkins stopped two of four looks to secure Xavier's advancement.
The draw was the third of the season for the Musketeers, also playing Butler and Georgetown to draws at home.
The match was Xavier's seventh overtime match of the season, the Musketeers stand at 3-1-3 in extra time in 2018.

BIG EAST BRACKET

VIDEO

WATCH | Xavier advances on PKs, the first time advancing in the conference tournament since 2003, and the first time since 1998's A10 Championship match that Xavier advanced on PKs. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/yDybgXxoof
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) October 28, 2018

WATCH | Sam's goal to help send us to OT from a few different angles. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/T3m1y6Z3jA
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) October 28, 2018

WATCH | Nate Lie speaks with Mike Schmaltz after advancing in the BIG EAST Championship for the first time in program history! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/Jrci4huaAC
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) October 29, 2018