Men's Soccer Plays Host to No. 2/3 Akron in Season Opener

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer plays host to No. 2/3 Akron on Friday, Aug. 30 in the team's season opener. First touch is set for 7 p.m. from the XU Soccer Complex.

THE MATCHUP VS AKRON

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-0) vs NO. 2/3 AKRON ZIPS (0-0)
Game Info - Friday, Aug. 30 - 7 p.m. ET - XU Soccer Complex (1,000)
Live Video - bit.ly/2ZvurAV
Live Stats - bit.ly/2Pzr1JH

ABOUT AKRON

2018 Record: 15-7-2 (1-2-1 MAC)
2018 Postseason: NCAA National Runner-Up
Series History: Xavier trails, 0-7
Last Meeting: Akron 4, Xavier 3 (OT) (09/20/98 - Akron, Ohio)

NOTABLES
• Akron lost the 2018 National Championship match to No. 3 Maryland, 1-0, on Dec. 9. The Zips have made three national title appearances (2009, 2010, 2018) with one national championship (2010).
• Akron has posted a .792 winning percentage (204-43-29) since 2007, the best winning percentage in NCAA DI men's soccer.
• The Zips return seven starters from last seasons's team, including all-conference performers Skye Harter, David Egbo, Carlo Ritaccio and Sam Tojaga. Harter, Egbo and Ritaccio were all named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Men's Soccer National Top-100 D1 Players to Watch Preseason list.

XU IN SEASON OPENERS

• Head coach Andy Fleming has posted a 4-3-2 record in season openers since 2010. The Musketeers have gone 5-4 in home openers during that span. Xavier defeated Cincinnati Christian, 6-0, in the team's home opener last season.

XAVIER PLAYING AT HOME

• The Musketeers are 18-5-5 (.732) at home since the start of the 2016 season.

• Xavier is 58-18-10 (.733) at the XU Soccer Complex since Andy Fleming took over the program in 2010.

XU VS NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS

• No. 2/3 Akron will be the highest ranked opponent the Musketeers have played against at home in program history. Xavier played No. 6 Kentucky on Sept. 11, 2018 (T, 0-0) and No. 6 Creighton on Oct. 18, 2014 (T, 1-1).

• Xavier has faced 31 United Soccer Coaches-ranked opponents since Andy Fleming took over the program in 2010. The Musketeers have posted an 11-14-7 record during that span.

• The Musketeers are 7-2-2 against USC Top-10 teams since 2010, including wins at No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 1 Creighton in 2015. In 2014, the Musketeers claimed victories against No. 5 Indiana and No. 8 Georgetown on the way to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 berth.

XAVIER NOTABLES

• Xavier returns All-BIG EAST Freshman Team selection in Taylor Crull. The Carmel, Ind., native made all 19 starts at center back and helped the team post five shutouts.

• Xavier signed the No. 7 ranked recruiting class in the country by TopDrawerSoccer.com. The class consists of nine true freshmen and two transfers (Ryan Bellavance, Matthew Rosenberg).

• Coach Fleming enters the season two wins shy of 100 career wins. He is the winningest coach in program history with a 98-54-30 (.621) record.

• Coach Fleming has led the Musketeers to four NCAA Tournament appearances. The Musketeers made the NCAA Tournament in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

• Xavier has posted a 59-19-12 (.722) record at home under the direction of Coach Fleming (2010-present).

• Xavier has had 21 players earn All-BIG EAST honors since joining the conference (7 First Team Honorees, 7 Second Team Honorees, 7 All-Freshman Team Honorees). The Musketeers have also had two Goalkeepers of the Year and two Defensive Players of the Year. Xavier has had at least one player on the league's first team during all seven years in the BIG EAST.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST

• Senior Samson Sergi was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. The Ashburn, Va., native, was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team last season after leading the team in goals (9), while adding three assists.

PRESEASON BIG EAST POLL

1. Georgetown (9) - 81 pts.
2. Creighton - 68
3. Providence - 65
4. Marquette (1) - 59
5. Xavier - 44
6. Butler - 40
7. St. John's - 33
8. Seton Hall - 28
9. DePaul - 21
10. Villanova - 11
First place votes in ( )

NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOTES

• The Musketeers will play five of their eight non-conference matches at home. The Crosstown Derby against Cincinnati will be played at Nippert Stadium on Sept. 6.

• Xavier has posted a 32-21-12 non-conference record since 2013. The Musketeers have recorded an 18-6-4 record at home in those matches.

XU SOCCER PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last nine seasons.

• The Musketeers have won 10 or more matches in seven of the last nine 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. 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.

UP NEXT

• Xavier returns to action on Monday, Sept. 2 against Eastern Illinois. First touch is set for 7 p.m. from the XU Soccer Complex.

ANDY FLEMING VIDEO

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