By: Danny O’Malley
The Xavier men’s soccer team opened their regular season with two close losses. In the season opener against Furman University, the team lost in double overtime by a score of 4-3. In the following game, the team lost a defensive battle against the College of Charleston 1-0.
Redshirt junior midfielder Will Walker and his brother, senior midfielder Matt Walker, both made a big impact for the Musketeers in the matchup.
Will was able to punch in one goal, which was his only shot. Matt had an impressive game, gathering a scored goal and two assists.
Sophomore forward Calum Latham scored his second goal of the season when he knocked the ball into the back of the net in the 66th minute.
Junior defender Garrett Halfhill and senior midfielder Tanner Petrick were each able to gain an assist in the game.
Senior defenseman Nick Hagglund was not able to score despite having the most shots on goal of any Musketeer.
Senior goalkeeper Eric Osswald allowed four goals in 105 minutes of play but was able to save a total of three shots.
The game was back and forth through 90 minutes. Xavier scored first, Furman followed with two goals, Xavier responded with two more and then Furman capped it off with two more goals of their own to come out on top.
When playing the College of Charleston, only Will Walker, Hagglund, Halfhill and senior midfielder Gino De Paoli were able to get shots on goal.
The Musketeers got a total of nine shots off, but only four were on goal.
Sophomore goalkeeper Vince Shaw played all 90 minutes and had two saves while allowing one goal.
The only goal scored in the game came early on in the 12th minute when Charleston’s Xavier Rajpaul placed one past Shaw.
The men’s team plays its home opener Saturday against Northwestern University.
