2019 SEASON RECAP: Non-Conference
Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications
4/15/2020
Xavier women's soccer kicked off a record-breaking season by playing a challenging 10-match non-conference slate that featured three NCAA Tournament squads from 2018.
Xavier's out of conference schedule included six road matches, including four MAC opponents, as well as teams from the American, A10, Atlantic 10, Horizon, OVC and SEC.
Prior to the start of the regular season, Xavier traveled to Purdue for an exhibition, winning 1-0 on a goal from Sydney Schembri.
The Musketeers officially opened the regular season with a record-breaking performance, coming back from a 3-1 halftime deficit to top Murray State, 4-3, on the strength of a four-goal performance by Samantha Dewey.
Dewey’s performance was the most goals in a single match in over 30 years, and is the second most goals in a single game in the Xavier record books, behind a six-goal performance for Jodi Krauser against Wooster in 1984.
Samantha Dewey, Molly McLaughlin and Nate Lie talk about Sam's four-goal performance at Murray State. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/PVPhsuS9o7
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) August 24, 2019
Xavier opened the home slate with Bowling Green, the first of two-straight matches at XU Soccer Complex.
Gabrielle LoPresti led the Musketeers on offense as Xavier took the 2-1 win after scoring in the 27th minute to give Xavier a 1-0 lead, then assisting on Jackie Richards' game-winner in the 52nd minute.
?? Highlights from today’s win! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/p7Xt9ClH8O
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) August 25, 2019
Xavier closed out the two-game home stand by hosting former A10 rival Dayton, playing the Flyers to a 0-0 draw through double overtime. The shutout was the first of a school-record 13 shutouts.
Xavier opened up a three-game road trip at Missouri, falling 3-2 in double-overtime after the Tigers scored on a penalty kick in the 106th minute. Xavier had battled back from a 2-0 deficit in the second half, with goals from Jackie Richards and Emily Burton, to force the overtime before suffering its only loss of the non-conference schedule.
The Musketeers bounced back on trip to northern Ohio, picking up a pair of shutout wins at Kent State and Akron to start a five-match-shutout streak.
??Yesterday's goals, in case you missed them! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/hPSGknoegX
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 2, 2019
Xavier took the win over Kent State, 1-0, on Sydney Schembri's first goal of the season. Toni Bizzarro collected the win in-frame, her second shutout of the season.
??In case you missed Sydney's goal, from Gabrielle and Sam. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/fBcyxKpDWj
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 7, 2019
The Musketeers moved to 4-1-1 against Akron, getting tallies from Grace Brauer in a second-straight shutout, winning 2-0 with Olivia Jenkins in-frame, her first shutout of the season.
Check out Grace Brauer's game winner from earlier today! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/k1AGQf2lRo
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 8, 2019
?? Samantha Dewey outpaces the Akron defense and scores her fifth of the season! @SportsCenter #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/3SXmIqJin9
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 8, 2019
Xavier returned to XU Soccer Complex for the final home game of the non-conference schedule, scoring four goals in a third-straight shutout. Samantha Dewey tallied twice in the 4-0 win, her second multiple-goal game of the season. Grace Bahr and Jackie Richards each tallied as well.
Xavier vs. Northern Kentucky.
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 13, 2019
?? highlights from last night’s match! #LetGoX pic.twitter.com/3d1c5Vn3wL
The Musketeers traveled across town to face UC next for the first of three road games to close out the non-conference schedule. Xavier extended their shutout streak to four with a 0-0 double overtime draw against the Bearcats at Nippert Stadium, moving to 5-1-2 on the season.
??Xavier at Cincinnati.
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 16, 2019
Check out highlights from last night's match at Nippert Stadium.#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/DRMgRNla5Y
Hear from head coach Nate Lie following Xavier's fourth-straight shutout, a 0-0 draw at Cincinnati in the #QueenCityDerby.#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/VNlYq3ysqc
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 16, 2019
Xavier extended it's unbeaten streak, and shutout streak, to five during a trip to Oxford, topping Miami, 1-0, on a Samantha Dewey goal in the sixth minute for the sixth win of the season.
Xavier followed that up with a 2-1 win at Lipscomb for a sixth-straight win. Samantha Dewey tallied in the 20th minute, and Lipscomb responded shortly after the break. Jenna Prathapa scored the game winner in the 76th minute to move Xavier to 7-1-2.
The Lipscomb goal in the 57th minute ended a streak of 522 minutes without allowing a goal, going back to the Kent State match.
WATCH | Samantha Dewey and Jenna Prathapa's goals from today's 2-1 win at Lipscomb! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/BrXN0rZtNG
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 22, 2019
Xavier's six match unbeaten streak to close out the non-conference schedule was, at that point, the longest unbeaten streak for the program since non-conference play in 2013. Xavier finished non-conference play at 7-1-2, the best mark since going 7-1-1 in 2013.
Samantha Dewey led the Musketeers with 32 points on nine goals and three assists in non-conference play. Jackie Richards tallied three goals and Gabrielle LoPresti and Carrie Lewis matched the team-high with three assists.
Toni Bizzarro collected four wins in-frame including three shutouts and a portion of a fourth, while Olivia Jenkins collected three wins as goalkeeper.
Nate Lie takes a look back at the non-conference portion of the schedule as the Musketeers prepare to get BIG EAST play underway on Sunday at Villanova. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/WjuuhbFCJk
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) September 27, 2019
