Men's soccer looks to improve on successful season

Three years ago, the Xavier men's soccer finished the 2009-10 season with 13 losses.
They recorded only two victories
that season, statistics that seem unreal for Xavier fans who have become familiar with XU's recent success in men's soccer, including the best season in program
history last year, the team's second season under head coach Andy Fleming.
This season, the Musketeers are picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10. They are vying to become the first A-10 school to win three consecutive conference titles and one of three schools to have won three conference championships.
The team is picked to finish behind
Charlotte, who was runner-up for the College Cup.
Xavier has the good fortune of returning much of its talented roster from last season.
Junior defender Nick Hagglund received national attention when he was recently named to the Missouri Athletic Club's Herrman Trophy watch list for the 2012 season.
The Herrman Trophy is the highest individual award in collegiate
soccer, and Hagglund was one of 10 defenders to make the list. Hagglund was also named to two All-American teams and was the conference defender of the season.
The Musketeers also returns
senior goalkeeper Justin Marshall and senior forward Luke Spencer.
Marshall had 62 saves last season and recorded five shutouts.
Spencer led the team in goals last season with seven and was second on the team in assists with six.
Junior midfielder Gino Depaoli led the team in assists with seven and followed closely behind Spencer in goals with six.
The Musketeers faced two opponents in exhibition on the road, the Marquette Golden Eagles and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Xavier ended its match with Marquette in a draw and fell to the Fighting Irish 1-0, with a goal from Notre Dame coming in the 37th minute.
This season, the Musketeers will look to make a postseason run, a feat they have been unable to accomplish so far.
For the past two seasons, the Musketeers fell to West Virginia in heartbreaking first round losses.
This season will undoubtedly be one to watch with this talented group of Musketeers.
The first home game for the men's soccer team will take place at 7 p.m. on Aug. 28.