BLACKSBURG, Va. – No. 24 Xavier women's soccer advanced in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, topping Virginia Tech, 1-0, at Thompson Field on Friday evening. The Musketeers (16-3-2, 7-2 BIG EAST) will face the winner of the Iowa/Kansas match to be played Saturday evening.
Xavier took the lead in the second minute after
Brooke Sroka crossed the ball into the box from deep on the right side. Virginia Tech's defense cleared the ball, ending up at the feet of
Molly McLaughlin just inside the 18-yard box. McLaughlin shot low and to the left to give Xavier a 1-0 lead. The Musketeers, with
Olivia Jenkins in-goal, held the shutout in-tact, despite 10 Hokie corner kicks to pick up the 13th shutout of the season.
2' | XAVIER | Brooke Sroka brought the ball deep into the right corner, crossing to the front of the net. A Hokie defender used a header to try to clear it, forcing the VT goalkeeper to punch the ball out. The cleared ball rolled to the top of the box where
Molly McLaughlin found it, shooting low and to the left to give Xavier a 1-0 lead.
- Molly McLaughlin's goal was her fourth of the season, all coming since the beginning of the BIG EAST schedule.
- The Hokies out-shot Xavier 12-5, but the Xavier defense limited Virginia Tech to just five looks on-frame.
- Olivia Jenkins made her 11th start in-frame, picking up her eighth win and fifth shutout.
- Grace Bahr, Hayley Jakovich and Grace Brauer played the full 90 for the Xavier defense. Molly McLaughlin also played 90 minutes in the Xavier midfield.
- The Musketeers picked up a 17th win overall, adding to an already program record total for the season.
- The Musketeers' 13 shutouts are the most in program history.
- Xavier's 43 goals on the season are the second most goals in a single season in program history.
- Xavier's eight-match win-streak is the longest since winning six straight in 2003. It's one shy of matching the program-best nine-match win streak, set three times, last time being during the 2000 season.
- Xavier will now face the winner of the Iowa vs. Kansas, played in Lawrence, Kan. on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
- Second and third round action takes place on Friday Nov. 22, through Sunday, Nov. 24 and is located at eight non-predetermined campus locations. At each site, four teams will compete in a single-elimination second round. Each winning team will advance to the third round, where they will again play a single-elimination match. Winners of third-round games will advance to the national quarterfinals. Xavier's site will be determined on Saturday afternoon.
- The quarterfinals will begin Friday, Nov. 29 and run through the 30th. They will be held at four non-predetermined school sites and winners will advance to the 2019 Division I women's soccer College Cup.