Men's Soccer Plays Host to Butler on Saturday

Saturday, April 3

Cincinnati, Ohio

5 p.m.

Xavier University

Butler

Men's Soccer Plays Host to Butler on Saturday

04.01.21 | Men's Soccer

Live Stats Watch Live (BEDN)

First touch is set for 5 p.m. from the XU Soccer Complex

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer continues BIG EAST action on Saturday, April 3 vs Butler. First touch is set for 5 p.m. ET from the XU Soccer Complex.

THE MATCHUP VS BUTLER

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-6-1, 0-4-1) vs BUTLER BULLDOGS (2-6-2, 2-2-2)
Game Info - Saturday, April 3 - 5 p.m. ET - XU Soccer Complex (1,000)
Live Stats - bit.ly/2Pzr1JH
Watch Live (BEDN) - bit.ly/39xOqXF

ABOUT BUTLER

2021 Record: 2-6-2 (2-2-2 BIG EAST)
2019 Record: 11-7-2 (4-4-1 BIG EAST)
2019 Postseason: NCAA Tournament - First Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 6-14-2
Last Meeting: Xavier 0, Butler 0 (OT2) (March 13, 2021 - Indianapolis, Ind.)

NOTABLES
• Butler is coming off a 1-0 overtime loss at No. 21 Marquette on Saturday, March 27. Marquette held a 15-6 advantage in shots. Gabriel Gjergji made six saves in goal for the Bulldogs, while allowing only the overtime goal (penalty kick for Marquette).
• Butler was picked to win the Midwest Division of the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll. Wilmer Cabrera Jr. and Rhys Myers were both named to the preseason all-conference team.
• The Bulldogs rank second in the BIG EAST in corner kicks (63) and shots (128). Wilmer Cabrera Jr. leads the BIG EAST in shots (31), while ranking seventh in points (3 goals, 2 assists).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Butler, 6-14-2. The two schools played to a scoreless draw earlier this season on March 13 in Indianapolis, Ind.

• Xavier is 2-1 in its last three matches vs the Bulldogs when playing in Cincinnati. The Musketeers won the last meeting at the XU Soccer Complex, 5-3, on Oct. 31, 2019.

LAST TIME OUT VS BUTLER

• Xavier and Butler played to a scoreless draw on March 13 earlier this season at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl.

• Jerome Jolly led the Musketeers with three shots, including one on goal. Felix Boe-Tangen, Justus Kauppinen and Karsen Henderlong all added two shots.

• Xavier took one more shot (13-12) than the Bulldogs and committed 11 more fouls (16-5). Butler held a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks. Defensively, Xavier held the Bulldogs without a shot in both overtime periods.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 3-0 loss to Creighton on Wednesday, March 24 at the XU Soccer Complex.

• Bryce Curran led the Musketeers in shots with three (two on goal). Jacob Bernsen added two shots.

• Both teams recorded eight shots in the match. Creighton held a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal.

• Xavier held a 13-3 advantage in corner kicks and committed one more foul (13-12) than the Bluejays.

• Matthew Rosenberg (2-6-1) made one save in goal for the Musketeers in 83 minutes of action. Eddie Walsh made one save in the final seven minutes of the match.

BIG EAST HONORS

March 1 - Felix Boe-Tangen - Weekly Honor Roll
Feb. 22 - Karsen Henderlong - Weekly Honor Roll
Feb. 15 - Karsen Henderlong - Offensive Player of the Week
Feb. 15 - Jansen Miller - Defensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week
Feb. 15 - Matthew Rosenberg - Weekly Honor Roll

BIG EAST - NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in goals (20) and assists (20), while ranking third in shots (123). The Musketeers also rank 16th in the NCAA in both goals (20) and assists (20).

• Jerome Jolly leads the BIG EAST in assists (6), while ranking tied for fifth in the NCAA. Karsen Henderlong leads the BIG EAST in goals (7), while ranking seventh in the NCAA.

• Karsen Henderlong leads the BIG EAST in total points (16), while Felix Boe-Tangen and Bryce Curran both rank tied for seventh with eight points.

NOTABLES

• Xavier head coach Andy Fleming recently announced his contract extension through the end of the 2023 season. He has a 109-68-32 (.598) 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 played its first six matches on the road this season. The Musketeers played three matches at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind.

• Xavier has posted a 38-24-13 (.593) non-conference record since 2013. The Musketeers have recorded an 21-8-4 (.697) record at home in those matches.

• The Musketeers took on two new opponents for the first time in program history against East Tennessee State and Chicago State. Bellarmine also competed 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, April 7 at DePaul. First touch is set for 12 p.m. ET from Wish Field.