Men's Soccer Plays Host to Creighton in BIG EAST Quarterfinals

CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer plays host to Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 5. First touch is set for 7 p.m. from Corcoran Field.

Xavier is the No. 3 seed in the tournament and Creighton is the No. 6 seed. The winner will advance to the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals and play against No. 2 Seton Hall on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. The semifinals and final are being played at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.

THE MATCHUP VS CREIGHTON

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (9-1-7, 3-1-6) vs CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (6-4-6, 3-3-4)
Game Info - Saturday, Nov. 5 - 7 p.m. ET - Corcoran Field (1,000)
Live Stats - bit.ly/2Pzr1JH
Watch Live (BEDN) - flosports.link/3dUulj6

ABOUT CREIGHTON

2022 Record: 6-4-6 (3-3-4 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier trails, 8-4-1
Last Meeting: XU 3, CU 1 (Oct. 12, 2022 - Cincinnati, Ohio)

NOTABLES
• Creighton was picked to finish fourth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 9-8-2 (5-4-1 BIG EAST) record last year. Charles Auguste and Paul Kruse were both named to the preseason all-conference team. Kruse was also tabbed the preseason goalkeeper of the year.
• The Bluejays are coming off a 4-2 loss at Providence on Nov. 2. Creighton is 2-1-2 in its last five matches and is 1-3-2 in road matches this season.
• Creighton leads the BIG EAST in shots (280), goals (42) and assists (40). The Bluejays also rank 10th in goals allowed (25) and goals against average (1.78).
• Duncan McGuire leads the BIG EAST in points with 28 (13 goals, two assists), while teammate Jackson Castro ranks second with 22 points (eight goals, six assists).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier snapped a three-game losing skid vs the Bluejays earlier this season, defeating Creighton, 3-1, on Oct. 12 at Corcoran Field. It was the team's first win vs Creighton since Oct. 11, 2019 (W, 1-0 in Cincinnati).

• Xavier is 4-8-1 all-time vs the Bluejays with a 3-2-1 record when playing Creighton in Cincinnati.

LAST TIME OUT VS CREIGHTON

• Xavier defeated Creighton, 3-1, on Oct. 12 at Corcoran Field. The Musketeers scored all three goals in the second half.

• Kendall Allen, Alejandro Steinwascher and Cameron Phillips all found the back of the net for Xavier. Cole Jensen also made a season-high nine saves between the pipes.

XU BIG EAST TOURNAMENT HISTORY

• Xavier is 3-5-2 all-time in BIG EAST Tournament matches since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers are 2-2-1 when playing in the quarterfinals.

• Xavier and Creighton have only met once in the BIG EAST Tournament. No. 5 seed Xavier lost at No. 4 seed Creighton, 3-1, on Nov. 6, 2016 in Omaha. The Bluejays were ranked No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll.

• Xavier's last appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament was during the 2018 season. No. 5 seed Xavier tied No. 4 seed Marquette, 2-2. The Golden Eagles advanced on penalty kicks, 7-6.

• The only other time Xavier was the No. 3 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament was in 2013. No. 6 seed Butler upset the Musketeers, 1-0, on Nov. 12 at Corcoran Field.

XU IN THE TOP-25

• Xavier men's soccer is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll as announced on Nov. 1.

• Xavier and Georgetown (No. 17) are the only two teams from the BIG EAST in the poll.

• The Musketeers entered the poll this season on Sept. 6 (as No. 25), the team's first time being ranked since Sept. 17, 2019. Xavier ranked as high as No. 9 on Oct. 19, matching the highest ranking in program history (was also ranked No. 9 on Oct. 28, 2014).

• Xavier also ranks No. 40 in the second NCAA RPI Standings of the season.

BIG EAST HONOREES

• Cole Jensen was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Monday, Nov. 1. He earned the honors for the second time this season.

• Jensen posted his BIG EAST leading eighth shutout of the season on Oct. 29 vs Providence as the two teams plays to a scoreless draw. He also made four saves vs the Friars.

2022 BIG EAST HONOREES
Cole Jensen - Goalkeeper of the Week - Oct. 31
Cole Jensen - Goalkeeper of the Week - Oct. 17
Alejandro Steinwascher - Weekly Honor Roll - Oct. 17
Dylan Kropp - Defensive Player of the Week - Oct. 10
Cole Jensen - Weekly Honor Roll - Oct. 10
Cole Jensen - Weekly Honor Roll - Oct. 3
Cameron Wheeler - Weekly Honor Roll - Oct. 3
Makel Rasheed - Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 26
Cameron Wheeler - Offensive Player of the Week - Sept. 19
Makel Rasheed - Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 12
Cole Jensen - Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 12
Cole Jensen - Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 5
Cole Jensen - Weekly Honor Roll - Aug. 29
Brandon Osterholt - Weekly Honor Roll - Aug. 29

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier and Butler played to a 3-3 tie on Nov. 2 at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl. Xavier took a 3-2 lead in the 86th minute, but the Bulldogs scored in the closing seconds to tie the match.

• Alejandro Steinwascher scored his third goal of the season and the 41st goal of his career. He ranks tied for first on the team with eight points (three goals, two assists).

• Jerome Jolly posted two assists vs the Bulldogs, increasing his career total to nine. He ranks tied for first on the team with eight points (three goals, two assists).

• Freshman defender Dylan Kropp recorded an assist on the Alejandro Steinwascher goal in the sixth minute, his first career assist.

• Kendall Allen and Nicolas Hald Willumsen each scored a goal, the third goal of the season for both players. Allen now has seven points on the year (three goals, one assist), while Hald Willumsen has six points (three goals).

• Cole Jensen (9-1-7) made one save vs the Bulldogs. His goals against average moved to 0.82 following the match.

• Xavier took six more shots (14-8) than the Bulldogs, including three more shots on goal (7-4). The Musketeers committed one more foul (18-17) than the Bulldogs. Both teams took two corner kicks.

• Xavier has now scored multiple goals in a match seven times this season, including five matches with three goals.

NOTABLES

• Xavier has had 11 different players score a goal this season. Five different players have scored three goals this season. Jerome Jolly and Alejandro Steinwascher lead the Musketeers with eight points each (three goals, two assists).

• Xavier's 14-match unbeaten streak (9-0-5) to start the season was longest unbeaten streak to start a season since 2012 (The Musketeers started the year 10-0-4 before losing a match).

• Xavier concluded non-conference action unbeaten for the first time since 2012 (The Musketeers went 7-0-2 in non-conference action).

• Goalkeeper Cole Jensen has eight shutouts this season, ranking third in single-season school history. He also has a 0.82 goals against average that ranks tied for third in single-season school history. His nine wins also ranks tied for fifth in single-season school history.

• Xavier has recorded eight shutouts this season, the most shutouts in a season since 2010. The Musketeers posted nine shutouts in 2010, finishing the year with a 10-7-4 record and advancing to the program's first NCAA Tournament.

BIG EAST STATS

• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in goals against average (0.82) and shutouts (8), while ranking fifth in total saves (60). The Musketeers rank tied for 17th in the NCAA in goals against average.

• Xavier has only allowed 14 goals this season, the fewest in the BIG EAST (the next closest team is Seton Hall with 16). Three of those 14 goals are via penalty kick. The 14 goals allowed are tied for the 17th fewest goals allowed in the NCAA.

• Cole Jensen ranks 29th in the NCAA in goals against average (0.82) and tied for 21st in saves percentage (0.806). His eight shutouts ranks tied for sixth in the NCAA.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier has posted a 50-26-14 (.633) non-conference record since 2013. The Musketeers have recorded an 27-8-5 (.738) record at home in those matches.

• Xavier is 71-29-14 (.684) at Corcoran Field since the start of the 2010 season.

• Xavier played seven non-conference matches, three at home and four on the road. The Musketeers opened the home portion of their schedule vs Eastern Illinois on Sunday, Aug. 28. Xavier also played home non-conference matches vs Robert Morris (Sept. 4) and Pacific (Sept. 9). The meeting vs Pacific was the first in program history.

• Xavier also had non-conference road matches at Memphis (Sept. 1), Northern Kentucky (Sept. 12) and Evansville (Sept. 20).

• The Musketeers opened BIG EAST action vs Seton Hall on Saturday, Sept. 17 at Corcoran Field. Xavier's other four home BIG EAST contests are vs Marquette (Sept. 24), UConn (Oct. 1), Creighton (Oct. 12) and Providence (Oct. 29).

• Xavier faced five teams (all from the BIG EAST) that played in the NCAA Tournament last season, including College Cup participant Georgetown. St. John's, Providence, Creighton and Villanova all joined the Hoyas in the NCAA Tournament - the first time since 2013 that the BIG EAST had five teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier returns four of its top five point leaders from last season, led by Justus Kauppinen who scored three goals and added four assists. The Musketeers also return Jerome Jolly (three goals, one assist), Taylor Rhinehart (one goal, three assists).

• Xavier added 18 newcomers to the roster, including four University of Indianapolis transfers: Eli Dulle (four goals, four assists), Brandon Osterholt, Makel Rasheed (five goals, three assists), Alejandro Steinwascher (14 goals, 10 assists).

• Lotem Ben Dov and Pol Hernandez will serve as team captains this season. Ben Dov missed the fall 2021 season with an injury, while Hernandez played in all 17 matches.

NEW HEAD COACH

• John Higgins was named the new men's soccer coach in March of 2022. He joined the Musketeers from the University of Indianapolis where he compiled a 150-56-29 overall record in 12 seasons with the Greyhounds.

• Higgins finished the 2021 fall season ranked fourth in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Top-25 Poll after posting an 18-1-3 record and advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships. All told, he posted a 31-1-7 record over two seasons in 2021 (spring season due to COVID-19 pandemic).

• The three-time Great Lakes Valley Conference 'Coach of the Year' owns a 7-3-1 (.625) record in NCAA Tournament action and finished GLVC Tournament play with an 18-3-5 (.750) mark. He finished his coaching career at UIndy as the program's all-time leader in wins (150) and winning percentage (.700).

• Higgins led the Greyhounds to a total of six conference championships from 2010-21, including three regular-season titles and three tournament championships. All told, he has made five NCAA Tournaments with two national semifinal appearances.

• The Dunfermline, United Kingdom, native coached 54 All-GLVC selections at UIndy along with seven All-Midwest Region honorees and two All-Americans. Academically, the Greyhounds have earned the USC Team Academic Award in each season under Higgins.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Xavier men's soccer has reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last 12 seasons. The Musketeers have also won 10 or more matches in seven of the last 12 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 nine 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 nine 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 10 years, including 2018 third rounder Cory Brown.

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

1.	Providence (4)	94
2.	Georgetown (7)	93
3.	St. John's	79
4.	Creighton	71
5.	Butler	60
6.	Villanova	59
7.	Marquette	49
8.	UConn	38
9.	DePaul	23
10.	Seton Hall	22
11.	Xavier	17

First-place votes in ()

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT BRACKET

2022 BIG EAST Men's Soccer Championship Presented By Jeep
First Round – Nov. 5 - BEDN
No. 6 seed Creighton at No. 3 seed Xavier, 7 p.m.
No. 5 seed Providence at No. 4 seed Butler, 7 p.m.

Semifinals - Nov. 10 - BEDN
No. 3/6 winner vs. No. 2 seed Seton Hall, 4 p.m.
No. 4/5 winner vs. No. 1 seed Georgetown, 6:30 p.m.

Final - Nov. 13 – FS1
Semifinal Winners, 11:30 a.m.

Schedule

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