Musketeers, Wildcats Set for Tuesday Matinee

Tuesday, February 9

Lexington, Ky.

1:30 p.m.

Xavier University

Kentucky

02.08.21 | Men's Soccer

Live Stats Watch Live (ESPN+)

First touch is slated for 1 PM from the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at No. 12 Kentucky. First touch is set for 1 p.m. from the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex with the game being aired on ESPN+.

THE MATCHUP AT KENTUCKY

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-0) at KENTUCKY WILDCATS (5-1)
Game Info - Tuesday, Feb. 9 - 1 p.m. ET - Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex
Live Video (ESPN+) - es.pn/3q2zdE6
Live Stats - bit.ly/2k8olYw

ABOUT KENTUCKY

2020-21 Record: 5-1
2019 Record: 13-5-3 (4-2-1 C-USA)
2019 Postseason: NCAA Tournament - Second Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 3-7-3
Last Meeting: Xavier 2, Kentucky 2 (2OT) - (Sept. 11, 2019 - Lexington, Ky.)

NOTABLES
• Tuesday's contest is the first spring match for the Wildcats. Kentucky posted a 5-1 record in the fall of 2020.
• Kentucky was picked to finish second in the Preseason C-USA Coaches' Poll behind Marshall. Midfielder Marcel Meinzer and goalkeeper Enrique Facusse were selected to the C-USA Preseason Team.
• Kentucky posted a 13-5-3 (4-2-1) record in 2019 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats defeated Loyola Chicago in the first round before falling to No. 5 Indiana in the second round.
• Kentucky ranks 12th nationally in the most recent (Feb. 8) TopDrawerSoccer.com Poll.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with the Wildcats, 3-7-3. The Musketeers are 2-1-3 against Kentucky under the direction of head coach Andy Fleming.

• The last three meetings between the two schools have ended in ties. The Musketeers and Wildcats played to a 2-2 tie on Sept. 11, 2019 at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.

• Xavier won its first-ever NCAA Tournament match against Kentucky in 2012, defeating the Wildcats, 1-0, in Lexington.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 2-0 season-opening win at East Tennessee State on Feb. 5. Sophomore Karsen Henderlong scored both goals in the match.

• Karsen Henderlong now has nine career goals. His two-goal performance vs the Buccaneers was the first multi-goal game of his career.

• Bryce Curran recorded his first assist since Aug. 24, 2018 vs Cincinnati Christian, increasing his career total to four assists. He missed the entire 2019 season.

• Newcomer Justus Kauppinen posted his first points in a Xavier uniform after playing at Virginia Tech from 2017-19. He now has two career assists.

• Senior Matthew Rosenberg posted his first shutout in goal this season and the 15th shutout of his career. The goalkeeper did not make any saves as the Musketeer defense limited ETSU to zero shots on goal.

• Xavier held a 9-3 advantage in shots and a 6-0 advantage in shots on goal. The Musketeers took two more corner kicks (4-2) than ETSU and committed eight fewer fouls (11-3).

NOTABLES

• Xavier head coach Andy Fleming recently announced his contract extension through the end of the 2023 season. He has a 107-63-31 (.609) overall record in 11 seasons with the Musketeers, leading the program to four NCAA Tournaments during that stretch.

• Xavier will wear a No. 11 patch on its uniforms this season to honor former player Derrick Otim who tragically passed away in a swimming accident in the summer of 2020. The all-conference performer played for the Musketeers from 2016-19.

• In keeping with the BIG EAST Conference's commitment to lead, educate and inspire on racial and social justice issues, Xavier men's soccer will display a Black Lives Matter (BLM) patches on their uniforms.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier returns All-BIG EAST Third Team selection Matthew Rosenberg. The goalkeeper played and started in all 17 matches in 2019, posting a 1.11 goals against average with five complete shutouts. The goalkeeper made 74 saves to rank fourth in the BIG EAST and 16th in the NCAA.

• The Musketeers also return four of its six leading scorers from the 2019 season. Karsen Henderlong ranked second on the team with seven goals (three game-winning goals) to go along with one assist. Noah Boffo added eight points (two goals; four assists), while Taylor Crull chipped in two goals.

• Xavier graduated two All-BIG EAST performers in Samson Sergi (First Team) and Derrick Otim (Third Team). Sergi was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-American and earned United Soccer Coaches All-Region Team honors.

• Xavier welcomes eight newcomers, including one transfer. Justus Kauppinen played in 33 matches with 19 starts at Virginia Tech from 2017-19.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier plays five of its first six matches on the road. The Musketeers open their home schedule on Feb. 17 vs Bellarmine.

• Xavier has posted a 36-23-13 (.590) non-conference record since 2013. The Musketeers have recorded an 21-8-4 (.697) record at home in those matches.

• The Musketeers are taking on two new opponents for the first time in program history against East Tennessee State and Chicago State. Bellarmine will also be competing as a NCAA DI member for the first time in program history.

• The BIG EAST will play divisional schedules with six teams in the East (Connecticut, Georgetown, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova) and five teams in the Midwest (Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Marquette and Xavier). The divisional teams will play home and home matches against each divisional opponent. Both schedules have two bye weeks built in for rescheduling purposes if necessary.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last 10 seasons. The Musketeers have also won 10 or more matches in seven of the last 10 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 of the last seven 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 seven 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 eight years, including 2018 third rounder Cory Brown.

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

EAST DIVISION
1. Georgetown (5) - 25 pts.
2. Providence (6) - 20
3. St. John's - 17
4. UConn - 13
5. Seton Hall - 8
6. Villanova - 7

MIDWEST DIVISION
1. Butler (3) - 15 pts.
2. Creighton (2) - 14
3. Xavier - 10
4. Marquette - 7
5. DePaul - 4

First-place votes in ()

UP NEXT

• The Musketeers return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 17 vs Bellarmine in the team's home opener. First touch is set for 4 p.m. from the XU Soccer Complex.