Sports
By Katy Korstange, Sports Editor
Xavier Musketeers (4-2-0) women’s soccer maintained a clean sheet with their 4-0 win over the Dayton Flyers in their white out game on Thursday evening.
After a match delay due to rain, freshman forward Maria Tapia brought the momentum early with a goal in the ninth minute. Junior forward Peyton Kohls crossed the ball to Tapia who was able to shoot the ball through two Dayton defenders and their keeper into the right corner for a 1-0 lead.
This was Tapia’s first goal as a Musketeer and gave her three points on the season combined with an assist from a previous game.
In the 34th minute, freshman forward and midfielder Frances Reuland scored her first goal as a Musketeer off an assist from senior midfielder Alexis Morrison. Reuland shot into the lower left corner of the goal, just outside of the box. This made the score 2-0 going into the half.
Junior defender Abby Unkraut clears the ball from the back of the field.
The Musketeers looked very offensive throughout the first half with three shots on target. The Flyers only had one shot on goal.
Xavier’s momentum from the first half carried into the second half. Junior defender McKinley Berry made her first goal of the season from a throw-in that bounced off of Kohls and sophomore forward and midfielder Reese Sochacki. The ball bounced off the Flyers’ keeper and into the goal for a 3-0 lead. Kohls and Sochacki were both credited with the assist.
In the 78th minute, sophomore midfielder Brooklyn O’Brien took a free kick from the right side of the field. O’Brien put the ball just inside the left post for her third goal of the season, which brought the score to 4-0.
The game ended with a 12-9 advantage for the Musketeers on shots and an 8-2 advantage over the Flyers for shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Sami Lipcon started in goal and managed to save both of Dayton’s shots.
The Musketeers moved on to play the Western Michigan Broncos (2-2-3) on Sunday night at home.
Xavier got off to an early lead with a goal by O’Brien assisted by Reuland in the third minute. In the 39th minute freshman forward, Kieran Bradley scored, making it 2-0. Western Michigan’s Kaiya Stewart scored in the 45th minute, making the score 2-1.
Kohls’ two goals and two assists in the game against the Flyers gave her seven points on the year, a team high.
The second half began with a goal for Xavier off a throw in. Dancer scored into the left corner which gave the Musketeers the 3-1 advantage as they led by two. Western Michigan was unable to get through Xavier defense again for the rest of the game.
The result against the Broncos began a two game winning streak for the Musketeers.
Reuland’s performance in both of her games this week allowed her to earn the Big East Rookie of the Week award. Her teammate O’Brien earned Big East Defensive Player of the Week due to Thursday’s execution.
This week, Xavier women’s soccer plays Eastern Kentucky Colonels (4-3-1) away on Thursday afternoon. Xavier is projected to win this game but has not had great luck in away games this season. Out of their two away games, the Musketeers have lost both. However, the momentum from their past few games should give them a good chance against the Colonels.
On Sunday, the Musketeers play another away game against the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles (1-6-2). Once again, Xavier is predicted to win this game.
The Musketeers return home to Corcoran Field on Sep. 30 to play against the DePaul Blue Demons (3-2-2).
