By Ben Dickison, Staff Writer

With the soccer season well under way, the Xavier women’s soccer team turned a scoreless drought into one of the most improved offenses this season.

“I think people see us a small Jesuit school and kind of forget about us in the rankings… we see that as motivation,” said graduate student midfielder Giulia Giovinazzi following Xavier women’s soccer’s 5-2 defeat over the 17th-ranked Michigan State Spartans on Sunday. 

This win earned them the number 24th ranking in the most recent United Soccer Coaches poll.

The Musketeers seem to have more than remedied their offensive struggles; since they were held scoreless in their losses on the road against Pittsburgh and Virginia, they have tallied 16 goals across their last three matches. Since returning from their road matches, the women in silver and navy have taken down the University of Cincinnati Bearcats by a 3-0 tally, throttled the Murray St. Racers by an 8-0 score and claimed their first win over a nationally ranked squad against Michigan State.

In that span, senior forward Elin Hansson has found the back of the net five times, the most of any Musketeer. Hansson, originally from Sweden, is in her second season at Xavier after transferring to continue playing for head coach Dean Ward. Ward is also in his second season at Xavier after winning multiple conference championships at DII Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC.

“I find it funny how people were questioning when we didn’t score through two games,” said Ward in an interview with ESPN+ after Sunday’s match. “But you don’t lose quality and talent overnight,” he continued.

Fourteen of the 16 goals scored by the Musketeers this season have come off the foot, or head, of a returning player. Sophomore forward Sam Erbach is co-leader along with Hansson in points for the Musketeers, scoring three goals and providing four assists. Redshirt sophomore forward and Loveland, Ohio native, Peyton Kohls, has scored once and accumulated three assists.

The Musketeers have been heavily reliant upon leadership from seniors who have been key parts of some of the most successful teams in program history. Forward Emma Flick ‘25 has scored one goal in each of the last three matches. Two-time All-American Natalie Bain ‘25 has contributed a goal and three assists as a defender. Forward Regan Dancer ‘25 is yet to score, but has contributed two assists. 

This trio, along with four-year starter, goalkeeper Maria Galley ‘25, have helped Xavier achieve its second win in NCAA Tournament history (2022), its highest ever seeding in NCAA tournament history (2023), the highest-ranked result in a 2-2 draw with fourth-ranked Michigan State (2024) and the second most wins in a single season in program history (2024). 

Despite last season’s record-setting wins total, the Musketeers found themselves barely on the wrong side of the NCAA tournament bubble. 

Ward said, in regards to scheduling quality opponents this season: “We listened to the committee last year… we needed more top 50 wins (to make the tournament field). We’ve put ourselves in those positions to play good teams… I’ll back my team everyday.”

The Musketeers will be battle tested, having played matches against power conference opponents in four of their first five outings with a trip to face the Indiana Hoosiers tomorrow at 8 p.m. 

“We know we’re just as good and able to compete with them,” Giovinazzi said. “We want to come out flying and put the pressure on them.”