SEASON RECAP: 2019 Post Season
Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications
4/29/2020
Xavier entered the 2019 post season at 14-3-2 overall and 7-2 in BIG EAST play, earning the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Championship in Omaha, Neb. after winning the regular season title.
After earning a first round bye, Xavier opened up post-season play against Villanova, one of two teams the Musketeers fell to during the conference regular season, in the BIG EAST Semifinals.
Samantha Dewey speaks with the BIG EAST Digital Network about earning the regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the @BIGEASTchamps. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/m74qOpqFex
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 7, 2019
Head coach Nate Lie talks about moving into BIG EAST Championship play and facing Villanova. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/Mw4vK9AGz8
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 7, 2019
Xavier took the 2-0 win over the No. 4 seeded Villanova Wildcats to send the Musketeers to the BIG EAST Championship match. Xavier picked up its 15th win, setting a new program-best mark for wins, and advanced to its first conference championship match since joining the BIG EAST.
Xavier took a 1-0 lead early in the first half on a Carrie Lewis goal, set up by Rachel Dewey. The one-goal lead held through the half, and the Musketeers added a second tally early in the second half after Hayley Jakovich found the ball off a save in the box, putting it back in for the insurance goal.
The Musketeer defense forced its 11th shutout of the season, with Olivia Jenkins in-frame.
WATCH | Carrie Lewis scores from Rachel Dewey to give Xavier the 1-0 lead in the BIG EAST Semifinals! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/QQWRNYASqg
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 7, 2019
WATCH | Hayley Jakovich scores early in the second half to put Xavier ahead, 2-0, in the BIG EAST Semifinals! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/m4Xpfzz5zA
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 8, 2019
WATCH | Nate Lie shares his thoughts following Xavier's BIG EAST Semifinal win over Villanova. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/yaSPuS6AHt
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 8, 2019
?? | Take a look back at Xavier's 2-0 win over Villanova to advance to the BIG EAST Championship match! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/MYzweyT2xF
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 8, 2019
The No. 1 seeded Musketeers moved on to face the No. 2 seed Georgetown in the Championship match, with BIG EAST Title and an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
After topping Villanova in the Semifinals, Georgetown was the only BIG EAST School Xavier had not defeated during the 2019 season after going 7-2 in the regular season.
?? | Views from today’s training. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/fraSG7Z846
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 9, 2019
Head coach Nate Lie shares his thoughts ahead of tomorrow's @BIGEASTchamps title match against Georgetown. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/pjPyqKYwdh
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 9, 2019
In the BIG EAST Championship match, Xavier won its first match in program history against the Hoyas, taking the title with a 2-0 win at Morrison Stadium. 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.
Xavier 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 and an NCAA bid.
The win marked Xavier's first conference tournament title, and first NCAA appearance, since 2000 and the third conference championship and NCAA berth in program history, also appearing in the 1998 NCAA Tournament after winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
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
WATCH | Xavier celebrates the BIG EAST Championship! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/2ulW6ymNk1
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 10, 2019
"It was just whatever it takes to get to the finish line."
— BIG EAST Conference (@BIGEAST) November 10, 2019
??: @XavierWSOC head coach Nate Lie - #BIGEASTwsoc ?? post-game with @jonschriner on @FS1 pic.twitter.com/QKPo40qQCL
"It's amazing to get here from where we were."
— BIG EAST Conference (@BIGEAST) November 11, 2019
Three years ago, @XavierWSOC won just 1 #BIGEASTwsoc game. Tonight, the Musketeers are Champions. Senior Grace Bahr reflects on the magical run: pic.twitter.com/CuxXFywxpt
The X-Factor for the #BIGEASTwsoc Champion Musketeers!
— BIG EAST Conference (@BIGEAST) November 11, 2019
Sophomore Brooke Sroka delivered her 6th goal of the year in Sunday's title game victory in Omaha. @BIGEASTdigital Postmatch 1-on-1: pic.twitter.com/VQGP6LkIll
??| We're less than 30 minutes away from the NCAA Selection show, so a perfect time for a look back at last night's win! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/QPJqTDnzOI
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 11, 2019
Xavier opened up NCAA Championship play on the road at Virginia Tech. The Hokies entered the game at 12-4-2 overall after going 4-4-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play to finish tied for eighth in the conference standings.
The Musketeers entered the NCAA Championship on a seven-match win streak, the longest winning streak for the program since winning six straight in 2003.
Hear from head coach Nate Lie on the team's focus coming off a BIG EAST Championship and earning an NCAA Tournament bid as they head into today's match with Virginia Tech. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/btKqDpY2gg
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 15, 2019
Against Virginia Tech, Xavier took the lead in the second minute and never relinquished it, picking up a program-record 17th win on the season and the first NCAA Tournament win in program history.
The Musketeers went ahead after Brooke Sroka crossed the ball into the box from deep on the right side. Virginia Tech's defense cleared the ball, with it ending up at the feet of Molly McLaughlin just inside the 18-yard box. McLaughlin shot low and to the left to give Xavier a 1-0 lead.
The Musketeers, with Olivia Jenkins in-goal, held the shutout in-tact, to pick up the 13th shutout of the season, adding to a program record.
The win was Xavier's eighth in a row, the second longest streak in program history, one shy of a program record.
THE FIRST GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT.
— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) November 15, 2019
The DI Women's Soccer Championship is officially underway! ??#NCAASoccer | @XavierWSOC pic.twitter.com/5jRUalFEGj
Hear from head coach Nate Lie following Xavier's 1-0 win over Virginia Tech to advance in the NCAA Tournament. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/8Hac3lCoaC
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 16, 2019
?? | Take a look back at yesterday's NCAA Tournament win, a program first, at Virginia Tech!#NotDoneYet #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/S5RP8TyLbH
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 16, 2019
The Musketeers moved on to South Carolina for the first Round of 32 game in program history, playing the No. 11 Kansas Jayhawks at the University of South Carolina.
The third-seeded Jayhawks entered the game at 16-4-3 after topping Iowa, 1-0, in the first round.
?? | Views from today’s training! #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/eRAS0pyAro
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 22, 2019
WATCH | Molly McLaughlin talks about going further in the tournament than the Musketeers have gone before, scoring the game-winner at Virginia Tech and tomorrow's match against No. 11 Kansas.#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/roJg4VQa5r
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 21, 2019
WATCH | Brooke Sroka talks about getting to this stage of the season, what Xavier has done to be successful so far, and what the Musketeers are focused on going into the match against No. 11 Kansas. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/qYmbN0wDIa
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 22, 2019
Hear from head coach Nate Lie ahead of this afternoon's NCAA Tournament second round match against Kansas.#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/gjLG2PJzmO
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 22, 2019
Against the Jayhawks, Kansas struck early, with leading scorer Katie McClure scoring on her own for the 1-0 lead in the first five minutes. McClure scored again in the 19th minute to give Kansas a 2-0 lead going into halftime, and then added a third shortly after the break for the 3-0 lead which held through regulation.
The Musketeers' season came to a close with a final record of 17-4-2.
Not how we wanted today to go, but what a season for this team, which proved what this program is capable of achieving!
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 23, 2019
Thank you to everyone who followed us around the BIG EAST, to Omaha, to Blacksburg, and to Columbia and to all of those who supported us from afar.#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/OXOiwEeDGn
Hear from head coach Nate Lie and seniors Samantha Dewey and Grace Bahr following Xavier's 3-0 setback to No. 11 Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/N2IB4tVSEp
— XU Women's Soccer (@XavierWSOC) November 23, 2019
The Musketeers' 2019 season went into the record books as arguably the best season in program history, collecting a program-best 17 wins with 13 shutouts, also a program best.
On the way to the NCAA Tournament match against Kansas, Xavier collected a number of program firsts, including a BIG EAST Regular Season title, BIG EAST Tournament title, United Soccer Coaches National Top 25 ranking and NCAA Tournament win.
The Musketeers finished with a program-best No. 38 ranking in the final RPI, and in the Top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches (24) and Top Drawer Soccer (19).
The Musketeers earned a number on honors along the way, including BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year, All-Freshman Team honors for Maddie Thiss, BIG EAST Second Team honors for Brooke Sroka and Molly McLaughlin and First Team honors for Samantha Dewey and Grace Bahr.
Following the season, Samantha Dewey and Grace Bahr were named to All-East Region by the United Soccer Coaches, and Dewey went on to earn third team All-America, making her only the second All-American in program history and the first since Amanda Gruber in 1997.
