Seton Hall University
Xavier
MSOC Falls to Xavier in BIG EAST Home Opener
10/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall University men's soccer team lost its BIG EAST Conference home opener to Xavier University, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Owen T. Carroll Field.
Xavier (8-3-1, 2-0-1) who started strong out of the gate, scored twice in the first half, with the game-winner coming off a penalty kick in the 32nd minute.
The Musketeers recorded the first six shot attempts of the game, and after several near misses netted the first score off a corner in the 17th minute. Alex Ridsdale fielded the set piece for Xavier to the left of the net, finding Garrett Halfhill in the area at the far post. Halfhill's header was directed back across the area and may have scored on its own, but Cory Brown was there to ensure the shot was on net, giving his team a 1-0 lead on his second score of the year.
It was only six minutes later Seton Hall (3-6-2, 0-3-0) managed to draw even, with their score also a direct result of a corner chance. Once the Pirates fell behind, the offensive pressure followed shortly thereafter. Xavier attempted the first six shots of the game, but The Hall outshot them 9-5 over the final 70 minutes of action.
It was senior Bolu Akinyode (Lagos, Nigeria) capitalizing on the corner for SHU. Redshirt senior Victor Manosalvas (Clifton, N.J.) was originally looking for senior Kai Greene (South Orange, N.J.) with his pass attempt, but the Pirates' two leading scorers were unable to connect, as a defender deflected the ball away but not out of danger. Akinyode was opportunistic and quickly grounded a shot past Eric Osswald to the left side, his second goal of the season.
Xavier would score twice more, but what ultimately proved to be the game winner came on that PK before the half. The penalty kick was awarded on a Greene foul near the 18-yard line, but it was after a pass was made deeper into the Seton Hall defensive zone, and the foul seemingly did not impact the play. Will Walker went on to score for the Musketeers, his third tally of 2014.
Seton Hall had two great looks at tying the match in the second half, only Osswald snuffed out both with a save. In the 70th minute Akinyode executed a great directional header toward the far post, which Osswald snagged. Eight minutes later, sophomore Samuel Geiler (Offenburg, Germany) came close to knotting the score.
He dribbled in on net from the right side and pulled the trigger six-yards out from net, only Osswald was rewarded for an aggressive play, coming out from the goal to cut down the angle and make the save.
Matt Vasquenza scored the insurance goal for Xavier in the 81st minute. Owen Steinwall was credited with the assist, centering to Vasquenza from the left side, and he finished from six-yards out.
Seton Hall heads back on the road for a midweek conference tilt at Villanova on Wednesday, Oct. 15, in Villanova, Pa. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
