
Xavier Defeats Saint Francis, 3-0, in Season Opener
08.21.25 | Men's Soccer
The Musketeers scored three first-half goals on Thursday night
CINCINNATI - Xavier men's soccer opened the 2025 season with a 3-0 win over Saint Francis on Thursday night at Corcoran Field.
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8' | XU |Â Cooper Forcellini (penalty kick)
13' | XU | Harun Bakaran (penalty kick)
20' | XU |Â Gun Ha Lee (Cristiano Fitzgerald)
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Men's Soccer vs Saint Francis by Xavier Musketeers on Exposure
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SCORING RECAP
8' | XU |Â Cooper Forcellini (penalty kick)
13' | XU | Harun Bakaran (penalty kick)
20' | XU |Â Gun Ha Lee (Cristiano Fitzgerald)
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NOTABLES
- Cooper Forcellini scored his fourth career goal in the win on Thursday night. He now has 12 career points (four goals, four assists).
- Harun Bakaran scored his first career goal in his Musketeer debut. The freshman forward joined the Musketeers from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Gun Ha Lee also scored his first Xavier goal and NCAA goal. He recorded four goals at Monroe University from 2023-24.
- Cristiano Fitzgerald picked up his first career points. The sophomore forward joined the Musketeers from Maryland (played in seven games for the Terrapins in 2024).
- Jonny Mennell (1-0) earned the win in goal. He made four saves. The Asheville, N.C., native now has a 14-12-11 career record with 17 shutouts (tied for second in school history) and a 0.92 goals against average (fourth in school history).
- Xavier held a 19-7 advantage in shots, while the Red Flash took one more shot on goal (4-3). Saint Francis also took two more corner kicks (5-3).
- Xavier committed seven more fouls (19-12) than the Red Flash. Saint Francis received three more yellow cards than Xavier (4-1).
- A total of 13 Musketeers took a shot in the match, paced by Cooper Forcellini and Fabrizio Bernal de la Garza who both recorded three shots.
UP NEXT
- Xavier travels to Bellarmine on Saturday, Aug. 30. First touch is set for 7 p.m. from Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.
HIGHLIGHTS
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INTERVIEWS
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PHOTOS
Men's Soccer vs Saint Francis by Xavier Musketeers on Exposure
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Team Stats
SFU
XAV
Goals
0
3
Shots
7
18
Shots on Goal
4
9
Saves
6
4
Corners
5
3
Fouls
12
19
Scoring Plays

Cooper Forcellini
XAV Cooper Forcellini PENALTY KICK GOAL.
07:33

Harun Bakaran
XAV Harun Bakaran PENALTY KICK GOAL.
13:10

Gun Ha Lee (1)
Assisted By: Cristiano Fitzgerald
GOAL by XAV Ha Lee, Gun Assist by Fitzgerald, Cristiano.
20:22
Game Leaders
Players
Players Mentioned
HIGHLIGHTS | Men's Soccer at Bellarmine
Sunday, August 31
INTERVIEW | Coach Higgins vs Saint Francis
Friday, August 22
INTERVIEW | Gun Ha Lee vs Saint Francis
Friday, August 22
HIGHLIGHTS | Men's Soccer vs Saint Francis
Friday, August 22