WSOC to Host Xavier in Pivotal BIG EAST Tilt
10/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Seton Hall Game Notes (PDF) 
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SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - A return to friendly confines awaits the Seton Hall women's soccer team as the Pirates will cross the halfway mark of the conference season when they host Xavier for the first time in school history on Sunday.
The Hall (3-7-3, 0-3-1 BIG EAST) is coming off a well-played 1-1 draw at Creighton in which head coach Rick Stainton's side picked up its first point in league play despite playing shorthanded in its eighth true road match of the year. The Musketeers (3-9-2, 0-4-0 BIG EAST) enter the contest winless in their last eight (0-6-2) and have yet to find the back of the net in four BIG EAST matches.
Seton Hall points leader Amanda Gulli (Toms River, N.J.) got the Pirates off the mark at Creighton, slotting home a 54th minute penalty kick to collect the first goal of her collegiate career. The score would prove enough to earn the squad a point - due in part to a career-high tying eight saves from sophomore Illissa Blackshear (West Orange, N.J.) - as The Hall improved to 3-0-1 when Gulli records a point this season.
Blackshear's dynamic performance closed out an impressive week in which the West Orange native allowed just two goals against a pair of opponents who were averaging over 2.5 goals per game entering their matchup with the Pirates. Against #15/15 DePaul, it took the Blue Demons 84 minutes to get on the score sheet via a direct free kick from 20 yards out; one of only three shots on target SHU conceded on the night.
In Omaha, Blackshear provided the support a stout back line needed as Creighton only managed to pull level through a penalty kick of its own. The sophomore currently leads the BIG EAST in goals against average (0.92) and save percentage (.831) and has allowed one goal or less in seven of her 10 starts this fall.
Despite their recent offensive struggles, the Musketeers have been similarly tough to crack in their own end and have sustained three consecutive 1-0 losses. Senior keeper Katie Markesberry already owns a number of significant school records and stands as the BIG EAST leader with 83 saves through 14 contests.
Markesberry also ranks second behind Blackshear having stopped 82.2 percent of the shots she has faced and her ability to keep her team in the game is something the Pirates are all too familiar with.
In the inaugural meeting between the two programs, which took place exactly one year prior to Sunday's showdown, The Hall held Xavier without a shot in the first half. Seton Hall then pulled ahead, 1-0, early in the second but was thwarted by two late goals for the hosts and an eight-save effort from Markesberry that included two stops on tries from sophomore Frankie Maier (Oradell, N.J.) in the closing minutes.
Xavier forward Tori Doss provided the final pass that led to the eventual game-winner against the Pirates last season and currently ranks ninth in the conference in shots (32) while leading the Musketeers with seven points (3G, 1A).
While both squads are left with some work to do to re-inject themselves into the postseason picture, a win on Sunday would vault the victor back into the midst of a congested battle for the final two BIG EAST Tournament berths.
Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Owen T. Carroll Field. Log on to the Pirate Sports Network and follow @SHUWSOCCER on Twitter for live coverage of the action from South Orange.
