By: Brendan Burris ~Guest Writer~
Xavier men’s soccer played two games this weekend and earned two wins. The Musketeers took a 4-2 road win versus Bradley University on Sept. 5 and a 1-0 overtime victory against Cornell at the Xavier University Soccer Complex on Sept 7.
In the first game, the Musketeers jumped out to a 2-0 lead at halftime. Junior Alex Ridsdale and freshman Matt Vasquenza scored goals, both their firsts in a Musketeer uniform. Ridsdale then netted another goal 3 minutes and 30 seconds into the second half.
The two teams then exchanged goals, with Vasquenza scoring again between two Bradley goals. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Eric Osswald played another solid game for Xavier, playing the full 90 minutes and making five saves, while only allowing two Bradley goals to get by him.
The victory proved to be a big win for the program, defeating a team on the road that made the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.
The second game of the team’s weekend proved to be the more difficult, taking on a Cornell side that is known for its tough defense. The game went back and forth for the full 90 minutes, with neither team able to break through for a goal in regulation.
Xavier’s defense kept it in the game, only allowing one shot to get to Osswald. Going into extra time, the Musketeers had a 12-5 advantage on shots, a solid performance against a Cornell team whose last game was a draw against the No. 2 Louisville Cardinals.
Xavier was finally able to break through for the game-winning goal, 6 minutes and 5 seconds into overtime. Scoring was freshman Cory Brown from Nelson, New Zealand, one of Xavier’s four international players. The victory was the Musketeers’ first overtime win since Oct. 19, 2013, when they defeated St. John’s University 2-1 in double OT in Queens, N.Y.
The Musketeers next welcome city rival University of Cincinnati to the Xavier Soccer Complex.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 13. Big East Conference play begins on Sept. 27, with Xavier taking on the St. John’s Red Storm at home.
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