the first time since 2004, Xavier men’s soccer squad notched a 2-1 victory against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Sunday.
The Xavier Musketeers (2-0-1) battled through the elements brought by Hurricane Isaac from the opening whistle.
The downpour came just moments after senior forward Luke Spencer struck his fourth goal in three games.
The Bearcats’ Matt Bahner caught Xavier’s defense off-guard by quickly answering with a goal to even the game at 1-1.
“It wasn’t the sudden downpour that distracted our defense. It has been our Achilles’ heel to concede goals after we score,” head coach Andy Fleming said.
Despite the holiday weekend, rainy conditions and the downtown fireworks, a record-breaking crowd attended the much-anticipated matchup.
The funnel effect took place at halftime when fans from both teams headed to drier conditions. Halftime lasted 80 minutes due to lightning and caused fans to lose interest in the match.
“We were at home,” Fleming said. “We tossed our jerseys in the dryer, had some snacks and watched television. We knew they were in a cold room so we used that to our advantage.”
That was exactly what the Musketeers did when coming out of a comfortable halftime. Sophomore midfielder Will Walker scored two minutes into the half, ultimately winning the game. Xavier controlled a tame game during the second half while securing possession and advancing the ball for scoring opportunities.
The Bearcats committed 13 fouls including a yellow card from Richardo Isreal. The Musketeers committed three fouls for the match.
Xavier held a 20-12 advantage on shots and an 8-2 advantage with shots on goal.
Luke Spencer leads the Atlantic 10 in points after scoring his 19th career goal on Sunday. Spencer was named A-10 Player of the Week and was named to the College Soccer News National Team for the week.
Spencer currently leads the A-10 in goals and goals per game as well as points.
The Xavier Musketeers look to continue their winning streak when they travel to Indianapolis on Wednesday to face the IUPUI Jaguars.
Xavier will then take on Milwaukee at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Xavier Soccer Complex.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025