Women's Soccer Tops Georgetown, 2-0, to Claim BIG EAST Title, NCAA Automatic Bid

Sunday, November 10

Omaha, Neb.

4 PM ET

Xavier University

16-3-2

Georgetown

13-4-3

Georgetown

Xavier

Photo by: Steven Branscombe

Women's Soccer Tops Georgetown, 2-0, to Claim BIG EAST Title, NCAA Automatic Bid

11.10.19 | Women's Soccer, Featured

Box Score NCAA Selection Show Box Score Season Stats Photo Gallery

Musketeers earn third NCAA Tournament berth in program history, and first since 2000

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

OMAHA, Neb. – No. 1 seed Xavier women's soccer clinched the BIG EAST Championship, and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, with a 2-0 win over the No. 2 seed Georgetown Hoyas at Morrison Stadium on the campus of Creighton University. The Musketeers now await their seeding in the NCAA Tournament, announced on Monday, Nov. 11, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

Xavier took the lead in the 11th minute, on a score from Brooke Sroka set up by a long kick from Grace Bahr. The Musketeers added another tally before the break, again off the foot of Grace Bahr, finished by Gabrielle LoPresti to take a 2-0 lead into halftime.

The Musketeers held the Hoyas scoreless in the second half, despite being out-shot 7-1, to pick up the 12th shutout of the season and secure the win.

This is Xavier's first conference tournament title, and first NCAA appearance, since 2000. It's the third in program history, also appearing in the 1998 NCAA Tournament after winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

SCORING RECAP

11' | XAVIER | Grace Bahr served the ball from Xavier's defensive third into the attacking third. Brooke Sroka shot from just outside the box to put Xavier ahead, 1-0.

36' | XAVIER | After a Xavier corner kick, Grace Bahr found a ball cleared outside the penalty box. Bahr served it back into the box where Gabrielle LoPresti chipped it over the GU keeper for the 2-0 lead.

NOTABLE

Brooke Sroka's goal was her sixth of the season, all coming since the beginning of BIG EAST play. With a pair of assists, Sroka has 14 points on the season.
Gabrielle LoPresti's goal in the 36th minute was her second of the season and first in BIG EAST competition. She also has three assists for seven points on the season.
Grace Bahr picked up a pair of assists, setting up both of Xavier's goals with long serves, bringing her season total to nine helpers. Combined with a pair of goals, she has 14 points on the season.
Toni Bizzarro made her 11th start in frame, collecting a season-high eight saves to keep the shutout in tact. She moved to 9-1-1 on the season with her seventh shutout of the season.
Grace Bahr was named the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the tournament.
Brooke Sroka was tabbed Most Outstanding Offensive Player for the Championship.
Sroka and Bahr were joined on the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team by Molly McLaughlin and Macy Harper.
The win is the program's first against Georgetown. The two-goal differential matches the Hoyas' biggest set backs of the season, a 3-1 loss to then-No. 21 NC State and a 2-0 loss to then-No. 5 Virginia.
This is Xavier's first BIG EAST Tournament Championship, making it a clean sweep of the BIG EAST titles for 2019.
Xavier earned the program's third NCAA Tournament berth, and first since 2000. The Musketeers also made an appearance in 1998.
The Musketeers picked up a 16th win overall, adding to an already program record total for the season.
Xavier won the program's first regular season conference championship in the BIG EAST regular season, the first conference title overall since winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament in 2000.
The Musketeers' 12 shutouts are the most in program history.
Xavier's 42 goals on the season are the second most goals in a single season in program history.
Xavier's seven-match win-streak is the longest since winning six straight in 2003. It's two shy of the program-best nine-match win streak, set three times, last time being during the 2000 season.

UP NEXT

Xavier earns an automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament. The Musketeers await seeding to be announced on Monday, Nov.11 at 4:30 p.m. live on NCAA.com.
The 2019 DI women's soccer tournament kicks-off with its first round of play on Friday, Nov. 15, as 32 two-team matches will be played between the 15th and the 17th. The matches will be held at campus sites that aren't predetermined. Winners will advance to the second round.
Second and third round action takes place on Friday Nov. 22, through Sunday, Nov. 24 and is located at eight non-predetermined campus locations. At each site, four teams will compete in a single-elimination second round. Each winning team will advance to the third round, where they will again play a single-elimination match. Winners of third-round games will advance to the national quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals will begin Friday, Nov. 29 and run through the 30th. They will be held at four non-predetermined school sites and winners will advance to the 2019 Division I women's soccer College Cup.

VIDEO

WATCH | Grace Bahr serves the ball ahead to Brooke Sroka for the 1-0 lead in the BIG EAST Championship match! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/CdjKnUNghj
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 10, 2019

WATCH | Grace Bahr serves up another goal, this time to Gabrielle LoPresti for the 2-0 lead as the first half winds down. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/Jn92ZXnah9
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 10, 2019

"It was just whatever it takes to get to the finish line."

🔊: @XavierWSOC head coach Nate Lie - #BIGEASTwsoc 🏆 post-game with @jonschriner on @FS1 pic.twitter.com/QKPo40qQCL
— BIG EAST Conference (@BIGEAST) November 10, 2019