No. 14 Women's Soccer Opens NCAA Tournament Play on Saturday with Milwaukee

Saturday, November 13

Cincinnati, Ohio

4:00 PM

Xavier University

Milwaukee

No. 14 Women's Soccer Opens NCAA Tournament Play on Saturday with Milwaukee

11.12.21 | Women's Soccer

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The Musketeers host the Panthers at 4:00 PM at Corcoran Field

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - No. 14 Xavier women's soccer (16-2-1; 9-1-0 BIG EAST) opens the 2021 NCAA DI Women's Soccer Championship on Saturday, Nov. 13, hosting the Milwaukee Panthers at 4:00 p.m. at Corcoran Field in the program's first-ever home NCAA Tournament match.

Milwaukee enters the match at 18-1 overall, going 11-0 in the Horizon League play to win the regular season title before claiming the league tournament title and the automatic bid. The winner of the match will face the winner of the match between No. 1 seed Virginia and High Point.

Saturday's match will be streamed through the WatchESPN app and ESPN+.

GAME DETAILS

vs. Milwaukee Panthers
NCAA DI Women's Soccer Championship First Round
Saturday, November 13 - 4:00 p.m.
Corcoran Field - Cincinnati, Ohio

OPPONENT INFO

Milwaukee (18-1) enters the match with the nations best win-loss percentage (.947) and are currently on an 13-match win streak, going 11-0 in Horizon League play and winning a pair of post-season matches in the league tournament to earn an automatic bid. The Panther's only loss a 2-1 setback in double overtime against Wisconsin.
The Panthers lead NCAA DI in 10 other categories: Total Points (203), Total Goals (62), Total Assists (79), Assists Per Game (4.2 apg), Shots on Goal Per Game (10.7 SOGPG), Shutout Percentage (.789), Save Percentage (.908), Points Per Game (10.7), Goals-Against Average (0.31).
Mackenzie Schill leads Milwaukee with 29 points on 12 goals and five assists, earning Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year
Two other Panthers, Lesley Kiesling and Gaby Schartz, have collected more than 20 points on the season, with Kiesling knocking in 10 goals with four assists and Schwartz distributing a NCAA DI leading 19 assists to go with two goals.
Elaina LaMacchia has played the bulk of time in-goal for Milwaukee, starting in 18 games and collecting 52 saves with just six goals against for a GAA of 0.36. She holds a record of 16-1-0 with eight complete shutouts. She's also credited with six partial shutouts.
Xavier is 6-1 all time against the Panthers, with the last match-up coming in 2000, a 2-1 road win for the Musketeers.

SEASON NOTES

After going undefeated in non-conference play and winning the BIG EAST regular season title, No. 14 Xavier women's soccer earned the program's first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA DI Women's Soccer Championships.
The match against Milwaukee is also the first home NCAA match for the program.
The Musketeers are one of five BIG EAST teams in the tournament field, the most in the league's current configuration.
Xavier sits at 16-2-1 on the season, setting a new program-record with 16 regular season wins.
Among other marks set by the 2021 Musketeers are the highest RPI (7) and the highest national ranking from the United Soccer Coaches (11) in program history.
The Musketeers wrapped up the regular season with their second BIG EAST regular season title in three years, collected three BIG EAST post-season awards and had six earn all-conference honors.
Senior goalkeeper Olivia Jenkins earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the year and was joined on the All-BIG EAST First Team by senior midfielder Molly McLaughlin and senior defender Hayley Jakovich.
Newcomer Ella Rogers was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and earned All-BIG EAST Second Team and All-Freshman Team honors. Forwards Chloe Netzel and Shelby Sallee joined Rogers on the All-Freshman squad.
Head coach Nate Lie and his staff were also named BIG EAST Staff of the Year for leading the Musketeers to a regular season title and a number of program records after being picked seventh in the league in the preseason.

XAVIER STATS

Chloe Netzel leads the Musketeers with 14 points on a team-high six goals and a pair of assists after scoring in the first half against Butler. Her goals are tied for ninth most in the BIG EAST.
Among Netzel's six goals are three game-winners, matching Emma Marcus for team-high and tied for fifth most in the BIG EAST.
Shelby Sallee has 11 points on the season on four goals and three assists. Eight of those points have come in league action, leading the Musketeers in BIG EAST play and tied for seventh in the conference. Her three goals in BIG EAST play also led Xavier and rank fifth in the league.
Sallee, Netzel and Ella Rogers all have three goals in BIG EAST play, tied for fifth most in the league.
Carrie Lewis has a team-high six assists for the season, which ties for eighth most in the BIG EAST. Her three helpers in BIG EAST play are also tied for seventh in the conference.
Sarah Owusu and Shelby Sallee have two assists in conference play.
Molly McLaughlin scored the game-winner against Marquette on a penalty kick, making her 2-2 on PKs for the season, which ties for the best percentage NCAA DI.
Xavier led the conference with 19 goals in BIG EAST play, averaging 1.9 goals per game through 10 matches.
Olivia Jenkins has a goals against average of 0.52 which, as it stands, would rank as the best GAA for a single season in program history, and currently ranks second in the BIG EAST and eighth in the nation. Jenkins has 10 shutouts so far this season, leading the conference and tied for the fifth most in the country.
Xavier's defense only allowed four goals in BIG EAST play, the tied for the lowest total in the league. The Musketeers' 0.40 GAA in conference play is second best in the conference.
The Musketeers picked up a 16th win in the regular season against UConn, the most in school history. The previous record was 14, set in both 1991 and 2019.

KEEPER OF THE YEAR & FIRST TEAM

Olivia Jenkins was named Goalkeeper of the Year and earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team after a regular season where she made the start in-goal in all 18 matches, collecting a record of 16-1-1 during the regular season, a new school record single season wins for a goalkeeper. Among those 16 matches are 10 shutouts which leads the BIG EAST and is tied for the most in NCAA DI, through Oct. 28. Jenkins' current GAA of 0.49 would, as it stands, be the best mark for a single season in program history. This is the first post-season honor of Jenkins' career, and she is the first Musketeer to earn the honor since Xavier joined the BIG EAST.
Jenkins is joined on the All-BIG EAST First Team by defender Hayley Jakovich and midfielder Molly McLaughlin.
Jakovich, a senior from Eureka, Mo., has played the full time on Xavier's backline in all 18 matches for the Musketeers this season, totaling 1652 minutes. Jakovich has helped Xavier to 16 wins and 10 shutouts so far this season. With Jakovich's help, Xavier's defense has only allowed nine goals on the season overall and just four in BIG EAST play. Xavier's overall GAA of .491 for the season ranks fifth in the nation. Jakovich also has five points on the season, on one goal, the game-winner at Creighton, and three assists. This is her second all-conference honor as a Musketeer, earning a spot on the All-Freshman team in 2018.
McLaughlin, a senior from Granger, Ind., has played 1485 in the midfield for the Musketeers this season, helping Xavier to a school-record 16 regular season wins and 10 shutouts in the holding mid position. McLaughlin has three goals on the season, a pair coming in BIG EAST play, with one game-winner, against Marquette. Two of McLaughlin's goals came on penalty kicks, which she's 2-2 for on the season, tying for the best percentage in NCAA DI on PKs. McLaughlin has twice been named All-Conference previously, earning All-BIG EAST Second Team honors in 2019 and 2020.

STAND-OUT FRESHMEN

Ella Rogers, in addition to earning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors, was also named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team and was a unanimous selection to the league's All-Freshman squad. Rogers, a midfielder from Granville, Ohio, has started in all 18 matches this season, collecting eight points on four goals for the season, including a team-high matching three goals in BIG EAST play, tied for fifth most in the conference. Rogers has a pair of game-winners to her credit, both coming in league play, scoring the 49th minute in the 1-0 win at St. John's as well as the 59th minute goal against Butler to put the Musketeers up 2-0 in an eventual 2-1 win. Her two game-winners in BIG EAST play are tied for third most in the conference. Rogers is the second Musketeer to earn BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, joining Sydney Schembri who earned the honor in 2017.
Also joining Rogers on the All-Freshman squad are forwards Chloe Netzel and Shelby Sallee.
Netzel, originally from St. Louis, Mo., has made all 18 starts for the Musketeers this season, playing over 800 minutes. She leads Xavier in points (14) and goals (6) on the season, including a team-high matching three goals in BIG EAST play, which is tied for fifth most in the league.Among her six goals are three game-winners, which ties for fifth most in the BIG EAST for the season, against Cincinnati, Illinois and at Seton Hall.
Sallee, who is originally from Strongsville, Ohio, has appeared in all 18 matches for the Musketeers, totaling over 850 minutes during her rookie season. Her 11 points are tied for second most for the Musketeers, coming on four goals and three assists. In BIG EAST play, she leads Xavier with eight points on three goals and two assists, with her goal total matching for team high and fifth in the league in conference play. Among her BIG EAST goals was the golden goal in the 96th minute at Providence.

COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR

In addition to the six Musketeers honored, head coach Nate Lie, assistant coaches Katy Etelman, Tyler Smaha and Jacob Morrison and Director of Operations Kaitlyn Jones were named the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. Lie and his staff wrapped up the regular season with the program's second BIG EAST regular season title in three years, with the Musketeers sitting at No. 15 in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll and No. 8 in the RPI, both program-best rankings.
The Musketeers, who were picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll, went undefeated in the non-conference portion of the schedule, going 7-0-1, before going 9-1-0 in BIG EAST play on the way to the league title. Xavier enters the post season at 16-1-1, setting a new school record for regular season wins, earning 10 shutout along the way. Xavier's .917 win percentage ranks second in NCAA DI through games on Oct. 28.
The Musketeers scored a BIG EAST-best 19 goals in league play, while tying Georgetown for the fewest goals allowed with just four.Xavier's coaching staff was also named league Staff of the Year following the 2019 season when Xavier won the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles.

XAVIER IN THE RANKINGS

Xavier came in at No. 14 in this week's the United Soccer Coaches National Poll. The Musketeers moved up to a program-best ranking of No. 11 for the week of 11/3 in the USC poll.
Xavier made its first appearance of the season in the USC National Poll in week three (9/7/21), entering the rankings at No. 23, marking the first time the Musketeers had been ranked in the USC National Poll since finishing the 2019 season at No. 24.
The Musketeers came in at No. 11 in the most recent DI Women's Soccer RPI after reaching a program best mark of No. 7 the previous week.

SPRING 2021 SEASON

Xavier finished spring 2021 at 3-6 overall and 2-4 in BIG EAST play, picking up wins over Bellarmine in the non-conference portion of the schedule, and BIG EAST wins over Creighton and DePaul, all three coming on the road.
Following the spring season, two Musketeers earned all conference honors, All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree, senior midfielder Molly McLaughlin, and All-Freshman Team member, forward Sonia Vargas.
McLaughlin led the Musketeers with four points on two goals, while sophomore Grace Blumfeldt finished her rookie season with three point on a goal and an assist.
After finishing fourth in the Midwest Division, the Musketeers missed the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time in Nate Lie's tenure as head coach.

THE MUSKETEERS

The Musketeers return 26 letter-winners from the spring, including All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree, senior midfielder Molly McLaughlin, and All-Freshman Team member, forward Sonia Vargas.
Xavier's returners account for over 70 percent of the goals scored last season, led by McLaughlin's pair of tallies.
The Musketeers added and 11-person freshman class for the fall after losing 11 letterwinners from spring 2021.
Xavier was picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, collecting 45 points. Georgetown was picked to win the conference.
Ahead of the start of the 2021 season, head coach Nate Lie announced additions to his staff. Katy Etelman joins Xavier as an assistant coach, while Tyler Smaha, who served as Xavier's Director of Player Development last season, also moves into the role of assistant coach. Jacob Morrison joins Xavier as the Director of Goalkeeping and Kaitlyn Jones joins Lie's staff as Director of Player Analysis/Operations.

BIG EAST COACHES POLL

1. Georgetown	100 (10)
2. Butler	88
3. UConn	74
4. Providence	65 (1)
5. Creighton	64
6. St. John's	47
7. Xavier	45
8. Marquette	43
9. DePaul	41
10. Villanova	27
11. Seton Hall	11

(first-place votes)

BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Zsani Kajan, St. John's, Grad., F

BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Kelly Ann Livingstone, Georgetown, Grad., D

BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Stephanie Rodriguez, Butler, Grad., GK

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Stephanie Rodriguez, Butler, Grad., GK
Anastasia Savich, Butler, Sr., F*
Katie Soderstrom, Butler, Sr., F*
Jessica Mazo, UConn, Jr., M
Aida Kardovic, Creighton, So., M
Kelly Ann Livingstone, Georgetown, Grad., D
Daisy Cleverley, Georgetown, Grad., M
Julia Leas, Georgetown, Jr., M
Meg Hughes, Providence, So., F
Jessica Garziano, St. John's, Jr., M
Zsani Kajan, St. John's, Grad., F
*unanimous selection