No. 24 Women's Soccer Heads to Indiana for Thursday Evening Match

Thursday, September 4

Bloomington, Ind.

8:00 PM ET

Xavier University

Indiana

No. 24 Women's Soccer Heads to Indiana for Thursday Evening Match

09.03.25 | Women's Soccer

Live Stream Live Stats

Musketeers and Hoosiers get underway at 8:00 p.m. on Big Ten Network Plus

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - No. 24 Xavier women's soccer heads to Bloomington, Ind., to face Indiana on Thursday, September 4. The Musketeers and the Hoosiers are set for a 8:00 p.m. start on the Big Ten Network Plus.

GAME DETAILS

at Indiana
Thursday, Sept. 4 - 8:00 p.m.
Bill Armstrong Stadium • Bloomington, Ind.

OPPONENT INFO

Indiana enters the match at 2-2, with wins over Youngstown State and Ball State and road losses at Saint Louis and Bellamine.
Junior forward Kennedy Neighbors, sophomore forward Aleyna Quinn, and sophomore defender Haden Vlcek were all named to the Big Ten's Preseason Players to Watch list.
The Hoosiers went 6-9-2 overall and 1-9-1 in Big Ten play in 2024.
The two teams last faced off in 2013, a 3-0 win for the Hoosiers in Bloomington, Ind. Xavier is 2-10 all time against IU, dating back to 1993.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Xavier returns home for a pair of matches, starting with Chattanooga on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 5:00 p.m.
Following the match at against the Mocs, Xavier remains at home to wrap up non-conference play against SEMO on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
The Musketeers then head to Chicago to open up BIG EAST play, taking on DePaul on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 2:00 p.m. ET.

XAVIER NOTABLES

Xavier moved into the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 this week, entering the poll at No. 24, after winning the last three matches, at UC (3-0), vs. Murray State (8-0) and vs. No. 17 Michigan State (5-2).
The Musketeers have scored multiple goals in the first 35 minutes of each of the the last three matches, out-scoring opponents 12-1 in the first half and 16-2 overall during that stretch.
Xavier's offense leads the BIG EAST and ranks in the Top 25 in NCAA DI in total points (46 - 16th in DI), total goals (16 - 18th in DI), scoring offense (3.20 - 19th in DI), points per game (9.20 - 21st in DI) and total assists (14 - 24th in DI).
After collecting five goals through the last two games, Elin Hansson matches for team high with 10 points. Her total goals lead the BIG EAST and rank No. 11 in NCAA DI, while her goals per game (1.00) rank second in the league and No. 10 in NCAA DI. She matches three other players, including teammate Samantha Erbach, for league high and is No. 30 in the country for total points.
Erbach has also collected a team-high 10 points on three goals and four assists. In addition to matching Hansson and two others for league high and No. 30 in NCAA DI for total points, Erbach leads the BIG EAST and ranks No. 11 in total assists and is No. 14 in the NCAA for assists per game (0.80). Erbach is also 2-2 on PKs for the season, one of 12 players leading the country with two made PKs on the season.
Xavier has seven different goal scorers so far this season, with four, Hansson, Erbach, Emma Flick and Chelsea Loeser, knocking in multiple goals.
Seven Musketeers have also dished out assists.

HANSSON PICKS UP NATIONAL HONORS

Senior forward Elin Hansson collected Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week honors and BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week accolades after posting five goals through two matches last week. Hansson, who now leads the Musketeers with five goals on the season, posted a pair of goals in Xavier's 8-0 win over Murray State and three goals in Xavier's 5-2 win over No. 17 Michigan State.
Hansson, originally from from Halmsted, Sweden, collected four points on a pair of goals against Murray State, marking her first multi-goal game as a Musketeer. Her four points were also the most she had in a game as a Musketeer to that point, and matched her then-collegiate record.
She bested that performance the next time out, posting the first hat trick of her collegiate career against No. 17 Michigan State. Her performance against the Spartans also marked the most goals in a game for a Musketeer since Samantha Dewey's four-goal performance against Murray State on August 22, 2019.
Her first tally against MSU, in the 26th minute, was her first game-winner at Xavier. She set a new career-best mark with six points for the game.

BAIN NAMED BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Natalie Bain, a senior defender from Alexandria, Ky., earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors after helping Xavier to a pair of wins last week.
Bain anchored the Xavier defense that picked up a second-straight shutout in Xavier's 8-0 win over Murray State. During the match against the Racers, Bain also collected a pair of assists, including on Chelsea Loeser's game-winner in the opening minutes, and Loeser's second goal midway through the first half.
In Xavier's 5-2 win over No. 17 Michigan State, Bain helped hold the Spartans without a look on goal for the final 30 minutes. She also dished out an assist on Elin Hansson' third goal, giving Bain three helpers for the season. Combined with a goal, she has five points on the season.

LAST TIME OUT

A three-goal day for Elin Hansson and goals from Peyton Kohls and Emma Flick led Xavier to a 5-2 win over No. 17 Michigan State on Sunday afternoon at Corcoran Field. The Musketeers moved to 3-2-0 on the season, while Michigan State moved to 3-1-2.
The Musketeers got on the board quickly, with Peyton Kohls putting the Musketeers up less than two minutes into the match, off passes from Regan Dancer and Samantha Erbach. Michigan State countered immediately, evening the score at 1-1 less than a minute later.
Xavier moved back in front less than 10 minutes later, with Emma Flick scoring off a pass from Kohls to put Xavier in front, 2-1, and Elin Hansson made it a 3-1 advantage less than 20 minutes into the match with the eventual game-winner.
Hansson added two more goals on headers in the first half, scoring from Kohls in the 26th minute and from Natalie Bain in the 30th minute to give Xavier the 5-1 advantage going into halftime.
Michigan State responded coming out of the half, getting two looks on frame in the first three minutes after halftime, finding the back of the net on in the 48th minute to cut the lead to 5-2. After the Spartans cut the lead to three, the Musketeer defense limited MSU to just three more shots the rest of the way, not allowing a look on-goal in the final 30 minutes, to secure the Top-25 victory.
Elin Hansson posted the first hat trick of her collegiate career, also marking the most goals in a game for a Musketeer since Samantha Dewey's four-goal performance against Murray State on August 22, 2019. Her first tally, in the 26th minute, is her first game-winner at Xavier.
Hansson leads the Musketeers with five goals on the season, and has a team-high matching 10 points after posting a career-high six against the Spartans.
Peyton Kohls' goal in the opening minutes was her first as a Musketeer. Kohls also dished out a pair of assists to give her a career-high four points for the game. She has five points for the season.
Emma Flick scored her third goal of the season, giving her six points on the year, third most on the team.
Samantha Erbach picked up an assist on Kohls' goal in the opening minutes, her team-high fourth helper of the season. Combined with three goals, Erbach matches Hansson for team-high with 10 points.
Regan Dancer also had an assist on Kohls' goal, her second of the season.
Natalie Bain dished out an assist on Hansson' third goal, giving her three for the season. Combined with a goal, she has five points.
Xavier finished with a 19-12 advantage on shots, led by four each for Kohls and Flick.
Maria Galley played the full time in-goal, matching her season high with six saves on the way to the win.
Bain, Erbach and Brooklynn Miltenberger also played the full 90 minutes.
Xavier's five goals are the most allowed by Michigan State since the COVID-shortened season in spring 2021, a 7-3 loss to Michigan.
The Musketeers' five goals and 19 shots are the most allowed by the Spartans this season.
The win over the Spartans marks Xavier's first Top-25 win since taking a 1-0 win at No. 23 Saint Louis on August 31, 2023.

BAIN NAMED PRESEASON BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, Natalie Bain, was selected as the 2025 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches, the conference announced on Tuesday, August 12. Bain also has been named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch list, the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch list, and came in at No. 8 on Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Players to Watch list.
Bain earned 2024 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year after starting in all 21 matches last season, helping the Musketeer defense limit opposing teams to just 18 goals overall and just seven in BIG EAST play. Bain led the Musketeers' field players in minutes played at 1,845 and played the full time in 16 matches, including nine of 10 BIG EAST games. The native of Alexandria, Ky., helped Xavier's defense to 10 shutouts on the season.
On offense, Bain had a career-high three goals, and combined with an assist, finished the season with a career-best seven points in 2024. Among her goals were the game-winner in Xavier's 8-0 win at Valpo, one of two goals for the game, marking her first multi-goal game as a Musketeer.
In addition to earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, Bain was a First Team All-BIG EAST selection for a second straight year, also earning Preseason Defensive Player of the Year ahead of the season.
Bain, a 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, also earned a spot on the USC All-America Second Team, becoming the first Musketeer in program history to earn USC All-American honors twice in her career.

RETURNING MUSKETEERS

Xavier returns 14 letterwinners, including seven starters, from 2024's 15-win team. The Musketeer returnees accounted for over 60 percent of Xavier's 51 goals scored last season, the most goals scored by the program since 1984.
Among the returnees are 2025 All-BIG EAST Preseason selections Natalie Bain, Samantha Erbach and Regan Dancer.
Erbach, the 2024 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and All-BIG EAST First Team selection, was named to the USC Forwards to Watch list and came in at No. 51 on the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Players to Watch list. Erbach started in all 21 matches for the Musketeers during her rookie season. She wrapped up last season with a team-high 11 goals and dished out five assists to finish with 27 points, second most on the team. Among her goals were a team-best four game-winning goals, including the game-winners in the Musketeers' win at Butler and in the win over DePaul in the BIG EAST Semifinals.
Dancer, a 2024 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection, started in all 21 matches for the Musketeers in 2024, finishing the season with a career-high 14 points on a career-high six goals and two assists, matching for third most goals on the team and fourth most points. Among her goals were three game-winners, including at BIG EAST opponents Villanova and Marquette, tying for third in the BIG EAST for game-winning goals.
2024 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection Emma Flick, who was named to USC's Midfielders to Watch list, started all 21 matches for the Musketeers. She collected a career-high 20 points on six goals and a team high-matching eight assists, setting new career-highs for goals and assists. Among her six goals were three game-winners, tying her for third in the BIG EAST for game-winning goals last season. Flick's eight assists were tied for first in the BIG EAST and tied for 64th in NCAA DI following the 2024 season.
Senior goalkeeper Maria Galley was also a 2024 All-BIG EAST Second Team Selection after starting in all 21 matches in-goal for the Musketeers, finishing the campaign with 15 wins, the second most in a single season in school history. Galley's 15 wins in 2024 give her a school-record 43 wins for her Xavier career. Galley collected 51 saves and finished with nine complete shutouts, giving her a school-record 32 shutouts as a Musketeer. She ranked No.1 in the BIG EAST and 26^th in NCAA DI for shutouts following the 2024 season.

2024 SEASON

The 2024 Musketeers posted a 15-4-2 overall record, the third most wins in program history, in Dean Ward's first season as head coach.
In conference action, Xavier posted a 7-2-1 record in BIG EAST play, earning the No. 2 seed in the BIG EAST Championship.
The 2024 Musketeers also earned the highest-ranked road result in program history, at 2-2 draw at No. 4 Michigan State.
On offense, the Musketeers finished the season with 51 goals, the second most in program history and the most by a Xavier team since the 1984 season, and collected 139 points, the most by the Musketeers in over three decades.
The Musketeer defense collected 10 shutouts, only allowing 18 goals on the season.
Following the season, three Musketeers earned BIG EAST awards, with Natalie Bain being named Defender of the Year, Samantha Wiehe earning Midfielder of the Year, and Samantha Erbach picking up Freshman of the Year honors.
Bain and Wiehe were both named USC Second Team All-American, marking the first time in program history that two Musketeers earned All-America honors.

BIG EAST COACHES POLL

BIG EAST Preseason Women's Soccer Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes)
1. Georgetown - 100 (10)
2. Xavier - 87 (1)
3. UConn - 86
4. Butler - 72
5. Creighton - 64
6. Providence - 53
7. DePaul - 39
8. Villanova - 33
9. Marquette - 28
10. St. John's - 25
11. Seton Hall - 18

Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year
Chioma Okafor, UConn, Sr., F

Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Natalie Bain, Xavier, Sr., D

Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
Cara Martin, Georgetown, Sr., GK

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Amelie Darey, Butler, Sr., D
Talia Sommer, Butler, Sr., F/M
Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Gr., F
Cara Martin, Georgetown, Sr., GK
Natalie Means, Georgetown, Sr., F
Ella McBride, Providence, Sr., D
Anaya Johnson, UConn, Jr., M
Chioma Okafor, UConn, Sr., F
Natalie Bain, Xavier, Sr., D
Regan Dancer, Xavier, Sr., M
Samantha Erbach, Xavier, Sr., F