Xavier University Athletics
Men's Soccer Alum Luke Spencer Named MVP of USL Cup as Louisville City FC Wins Repeat Championship
11.09.18 | Men's Soccer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Xavier men's soccer alum and USL standout Luke Spencer was was named USL Cup MVP on Thursday night as Louisville City FC defeated Phoenix Rising FC 1-0 in the title match before a sold out crowd of 7,025 at Lynn Stadium.
Spencer, who had been an interim coach and battled through a knee injury this season, scored the game-winning goal in the 62nd minute to clinch back-to-back USL titles for his side. He started the match in place of USL Golden Boot winner Cameron Lancaster, who was the leading goal scorer in the league with 25 tallies.
"This was a complete team effort, not just tonight, but all through the year," Spencer told WDRB.com. "This is a complete team. I genuinely love everybody on this club. It's the work that was put in on a day-to-day basis. Credit to James O'Connor for setting a culture here. Credit to John Hackworth, for coming in, taking over the team, and the guys bought in right away. And, our team, the standards stay where they're at, and it showed tonight."
Spencer finished the season playing in 23 matches with six starts, scoring seven goals on 27 shots.
As a club, Louisville City FC finished the regular season 19-6-9, the second-best record in the league, before going on to score 12 goals in a second straight run to the USL title.
Former Xavier goalkeeper Dallas Jaye also participated in the match for Phoenix Rising FC.
Spencer originally came to XU via Winton Woods High School and was the first Xavier soccer player to be taken in the draft when he was selected 23rd overall by the New England Revolution.
Spencer had a career-year as a senior in 2012, helping the Musketeers reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cincinnati-native scored 14 goals, leading the Atlantic 10, and had eight assists. He finished his career with 29 goals and 21 assists, while his 79 points still rank third in program history.
He was named to the Atlantic 10 First Team and NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic First Team in 2012 after leading the A-10 -- and ranking in the nation's top 25 -- in points per game and total points.
The 6-foot-2 forward was the lone striker during the final three years of his career, spurring the Musketeers to two Atlantic 10 Championships and three-straight NCAA Tournaments.
• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last eight seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Xavier was the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards from 2012-16, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.
• XU has qualified for six consecutive BIG EAST Championships, including trips to the title game in 2014 and 2017.
• XU has been ranked in the nation's top-10 three times in the last six years by the United Soccer Coaches. The Musketeers have been nationally-ranked in at least one major college soccer poll (United Soccer Coaches, Top Drawer Soccer, College Soccer News, Soccer America) in every season since 2011.
• In 2015, XU knocked off the national No. 1 (Creighton) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) on the road last season. The Musketeers are widely believed to be the first program to ever knock off both a No. 1 and a No. 2 on the road in the same season.
• Four XU players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last seven years, including 2018 third rounder Cory Brown.
Spencer, who had been an interim coach and battled through a knee injury this season, scored the game-winning goal in the 62nd minute to clinch back-to-back USL titles for his side. He started the match in place of USL Golden Boot winner Cameron Lancaster, who was the leading goal scorer in the league with 25 tallies.
"This was a complete team effort, not just tonight, but all through the year," Spencer told WDRB.com. "This is a complete team. I genuinely love everybody on this club. It's the work that was put in on a day-to-day basis. Credit to James O'Connor for setting a culture here. Credit to John Hackworth, for coming in, taking over the team, and the guys bought in right away. And, our team, the standards stay where they're at, and it showed tonight."
Spencer finished the season playing in 23 matches with six starts, scoring seven goals on 27 shots.
As a club, Louisville City FC finished the regular season 19-6-9, the second-best record in the league, before going on to score 12 goals in a second straight run to the USL title.
Former Xavier goalkeeper Dallas Jaye also participated in the match for Phoenix Rising FC.
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SOCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
LUUUUUUKEEEEEE!!!! 🙌
— Louisville City FC (@loucityfc) November 9, 2018
😈 1-0 🔴 | #LOUvPHX pic.twitter.com/RtCPuOUlAQ
A set piece and @luke_spenc do the trick!@loucityfc are ahead in the 2018 #USLCup!#LOUvPHX | #USLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/6aL72B8fY4
— USL (@USL) November 9, 2018
62. GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!
— Louisville City FC (@loucityfc) November 9, 2018
LUKE SPENCER NAILS ONE HOME FROM CLOSE RANGE!!!
😈 1-0 🔴 | #LOUvPHX pic.twitter.com/cMlKtanfUC
Now THAT is how you celebrate a repeat!
— COPA90 US (@COPA90US) November 9, 2018
Enjoy, @loucityfc 🍾🏆#LOUvPHX | #USLCup pic.twitter.com/25NHcZknOe
Two ⭐ mood! pic.twitter.com/6Qsfh1oSWc
— USL (@USL) November 9, 2018
About last night... pic.twitter.com/084CU6Y1gp
— USL (@USL) November 9, 2018
It's a good time to be @loucityfc! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/sP8iSDGAP2
— USL (@USL) November 9, 2018
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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |
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SPENCER AT XAVIER |
Spencer originally came to XU via Winton Woods High School and was the first Xavier soccer player to be taken in the draft when he was selected 23rd overall by the New England Revolution.
Spencer had a career-year as a senior in 2012, helping the Musketeers reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cincinnati-native scored 14 goals, leading the Atlantic 10, and had eight assists. He finished his career with 29 goals and 21 assists, while his 79 points still rank third in program history.
He was named to the Atlantic 10 First Team and NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic First Team in 2012 after leading the A-10 -- and ranking in the nation's top 25 -- in points per game and total points.
The 6-foot-2 forward was the lone striker during the final three years of his career, spurring the Musketeers to two Atlantic 10 Championships and three-straight NCAA Tournaments.
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AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE |
• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last eight seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Xavier was the only program in the nation with five consecutive major conference awards from 2012-16, including 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Cory Brown.
• XU has qualified for six consecutive BIG EAST Championships, including trips to the title game in 2014 and 2017.
• XU has been ranked in the nation's top-10 three times in the last six years by the United Soccer Coaches. The Musketeers have been nationally-ranked in at least one major college soccer poll (United Soccer Coaches, Top Drawer Soccer, College Soccer News, Soccer America) in every season since 2011.
• In 2015, XU knocked off the national No. 1 (Creighton) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) on the road last season. The Musketeers are widely believed to be the first program to ever knock off both a No. 1 and a No. 2 on the road in the same season.
• Four XU players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the last seven years, including 2018 third rounder Cory Brown.
Players Mentioned
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