Marquette University
Xavier
MSOC Begins BIG EAST Play This Weekend
9/22/2022 2:36:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Golden Eagles to face Xavier Saturday, wrap up non-conference play at Saint Louis Tuesday
The Marquette University men's soccer team (4-3-0, 0-0 BIG EAST) prepares to begin league action and play its final non-conference match of the season as it heads on the road for a pair of contests. The Golden Eagles will first travel to Cincinnati to take on the No. 19 Xavier Musketeers (6-0-2, 0-0-1 BIG EAST) on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. (CT), before traveling to face Saint Louis (3-3, 1-0 A-10) on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. (CT).
The Musketeers have gotten off to a strong start to the season, currently undefeated and ranking No. 19 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll. They have been led offensively this season by sophomore midfielder Fabrizio Bernal de la Garza, who has a team-best seven points on three goals and an assist. Eight different Musketeers have scored this season, as they have defeated oppontents by a combined 15 goals to five.
After advancing to the 2021 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and finishing the year No. 7 in the national poll, the Billikens are off to a 3-3 start to the 2022 season. Saint Louis is currently 0-2 at home, and will host VCU on Saturday before taking on Marquette.
GOLDEN EAGLES RECAPTURE THE MILWAUKEE CUP
With a 5-2 win over cross-town foe Milwaukee on Tuesday night, Marquette closed out its non-conference home slate on a high note and recaptured the Milwaukee Cup.
The Golden Eagles were led by several strong individual performances, including three first-half goals by senior defender Alex Mirsberger, each coming on headers from corner kicks. This was the first MU hat trick since 2011. Additionally, sophomore midfielder recorded three assists, while junior attacker Beto Soto totaled three points with a goal and an assist.
PARE LEADING THE MU ATTACK
After joining Marquette as a transfer from NAIA LSU-Shreveport in the offseason, Abdoul Karim Pare has made an immediate impact on the Golden Eagles in their 2022 campaign.
The sophomore striker from the Ivory Coast is currently tied for the team lead in both points (10) and goals (4), all while ranking just 10th on the squad with 337 minutes on the pitch. Pare recorded game-winners against both Utah Tech and Michigan. He also leads the squad with a .364 shot percentage, scoring his four goals on just 11 total shots.
SERIES HISTORY
Marquette and Yale will meet up for the 30th time on Saturday, a series which dates back to MU's first season in 1964. The Billikens lead the all-time series 23-4-2, though Marquette came out on top in the most recent meeting last spring in Milwaukee with a 1-0 overtime win.
Tuesday's contest will mark the 14th all-time match between Marquette and Xavier. The Golden Eagles lead the series 8-4-1 with a 3-2 all-time mark in Cincinnati, though the Musketeers won a 2-1 match in Milwaukee the last times the squads met in October 2021.
