WSOC Notes - 10.29.19
NEW YORK – The regular season for BIG EAST women’s soccer teams closes on Thursday with all five matches streaming live on the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi. All five matches can have an impact on teams qualifying for the BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep, or can alter where the qualified teams are seeded. Only four of the six spots have been spoken for, with RV Xavier, No. 19 Georgetown, Butler and Villanova in the field, but all six seeds remain up for grabs. A regular-season champion will also be crowned on Thursday, with the Musketeers, Hoyas and Bulldogs all in the hunt. BIG EAST Championship play gets under way on Sunday, with the No. 3 seed hosting the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed hosting the No. 5 seed. The top two seeds earn a bye directly into the semifinals, which is set for Nov. 7 in Omaha, Neb. First round matches are played at the site of the higher seed.
St. John’s at #19 Georgetown, 2 p.m.: A lot is on the line for the Hoyas, who could give themselves an early lead towards the No. 1 seed and a third consecutive BIG EAST regular-season title with a win. Should Georgetown lose or draw against the Red Storm, or if Xavier beats Butler later on in the day, the Hoyas are looking at either a No. 2 or No. 3 seed. GU is locked to either receive a bye directly into to semifinals or host a first-round match on Sunday. St. John’s has been eliminated from contention, so the Red Storm could play spoiler in the day’s first match.
Marquette at DePaul, 4 p.m.: Both teams can clinch a berth or be eliminated. A win for either would lock up a BIG EAST Championship berth, while a draw would punch the Blue Demons’ ticket, but make the Golden Eagles wait for Providence and Creighton outcomes. DePaul can still sneak in with a loss (should Providence lose/draw), while Marquette will be eliminated with a loss. Hosting a first-round match is also on the table, with the Blue Demons just needing a better result than Villanova to do so, while a three- or four-way tie in the standings at 13 points would favor the Golden Eagles as hosts. Marquette is currently tied for the sixth and final spot in the field with Providence, but PC has the head-to-head win over MU during the regular season.
Providence at Seton Hall, 6 p.m.: The Pirates are out but can play spoiler – they’ve given both Creighton and then-No. 14 Georgetown scares over the past week, holding both squads scoreless until late in the contest. The odds are against the Friars to qualify with a loss as it gives both Creighton and Marquette the opportunity to move ahead if they get results. PC will have its eye on the Marquette-DePaul match as a Blue Demon win would help the Friars’ chances as it would eliminate the possibility of a three- or four-team tie at 13 points which does not favor Providence qualifying. Providence also beat Creighton, which could finish tied with PC should the Bluejays draw Villanova Thursday night.
RV Xavier at Butler, 7 p.m.: A de facto BIG EAST regular-season championship game, the winner of this contest wins at least a share of the crown – the Musketeers would be the outright champs and BIG EAST Tournament No. 1 seed with a win, while Butler’s outcome would depend on Georgetown’s results against St. John’s. The Hoyas could share the regular-season title with Butler with a win and a Bulldog win, while the No. 1 seed would be determined after the field is set. BU-GU tied during the regular season, putting their tiebreaker at most points earned versus all teams qualified for the Championship. Of course if Butler wins and Georgetown loses or draws, the Bulldogs would be the outright champs and No. 1 seed. In the event of a draw between XU and BU, Georgetown could leapfrog both squads with a win to snag the title and No. 1 seed, while a GU loss/draw would give Xavier outright top honors.
Villanova at Creighton, 8 p.m.: The Wildcats have already punched their ticket for the first time since 2014, and can’t climb high enough to earn a bye, so now they’re fighting for first-round hosting duties. A win for Villanova would guarantee a home match on Sunday, while a draw or loss could allow DePaul to overtake the Wildcats for the No. 4 seed and hosting duties. Creighton is still in the hunt as well, as a win could catapult the Bluejays into the field but they will need Marquette and Providence to lose or draw. Should MU or PC win, Creighton is eliminated, regardless of the Bluejays’ outcome against Villanova.
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 31
St. John’s at #19 Georgetown, 2 p.m.*^
Marquette at DePaul, 4 p.m.*^
Providence at Seton Hall, 6 p.m.*^
RV Xavier at Butler, 7 p.m.*^
Villanova at Creighton, 8 p.m.*^
Sunday, Nov. 3
BIG EAST Championship First Round – No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed, TBD^
BIG EAST Championship First Round, No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed, TBD^
All times Eastern
*BIG EAST contest
^BEDN