• Xavier is tied for second on the conference table with four points at 1-0-1. It opened BIG EAST play with a 3-0 win over DePaul and then drew with UConn 1-1 on Wednesday.
• Head coach Dean Ward's crew was slated to finish second in this year's BIG EAST preseason coaches' poll after a 2024 campaign that saw Xavier go 15-4-2, 7-2-1 in the league. After finishing second in the conference standings through the regular season, the Musketeers were runners-up in the BIG EAST Championship, falling to fifth-seeded UConn 2-1 in overtime.
• The Musketeers had three players named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team led by reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and United Soccer Coaches Second-Team All-American Natalie Bain. Joining her on the list were Regan Dancer and Samantha Erbach.
• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in a slew of stat categories and are in the top 10 nationally for points per game (8.50 - ninth), scoring offense (3.00 - eighth), shots per game (22.80 - fourth), shots on goal per game (9.70 - sixth), total goals (30 - sixth) and total points (85 - ninth).
• Five Musketeers have scored at least three goals with Elin Hansson leading the way at a BIG EAST-high eight goals thus far, placing her eighth in the nation. She and Erbach co-lead the team with 18 points.
• Peyton Kohls is currently on a three-match scoring streak, netting at least a goal in each of the team's last three games.
• Maria Galley has started in all 10 matches for Xavier this season for 798 minutes between the posts. She has made 21 saves with 10 goals allowed, collecting two solo shutouts along the way, combining for the other three with Taylor Thomas. 

• Villanova is coming off of a 1-0 loss to Creighton on Wednesday that saw its four-match home winning streak come to an end. With the loss, the Wildcats sit tied for fourth in the BIG EAST standings with three points.
• The Wildcats are looking to evade back-to-back conference losses for the first time since the 2023 season. Last year in matches where they needed to bounce back after a loss, the 'Cats battled back to get a point in each with a pair of draws.
• Samar Azem's squad has been held without a goal just three times this season, scoring at least one goal in the other seven contest. On the year, the Wildcats have a six-goal lead on their opponents at 13-7, grabbing five shutout victories along the way. The team's .700 goals-against average and .500 shutout percentage are both second in the league and tied for 49th nationally.
• Hannah Curtin still leads the BIG EAST with three game-winning goals, good enough to be 12th in the nation. Hannah Dickinson's five shutouts also have her in a tie for best in the BIG EAST and 36th nationally.
• Villanova is 4-8-0 against Xavier since the series began in 2013, currently facing a five-match losing streak to the Musketeers in which they have not see a goal. The last time the 'Cats won in the series was inside Higgins Soccer Complex on Sept. 29, 2019 with a 1-0 result.
• When playing in The Queen City, Villanova is 2-3-0 overall, dropping both of the last two by a combined 0-4 margin. The last win in Cincy came on Sept. 30, 2018 when the 'Cats left with a 2-1 victory.
• This is the third straight year that Villanova is playing against Xavier when it is nationally ranked. In 2024, the Musketeers were No. 21 in the nation while the 2023 squad was No. 24.

On the Open Road: Villanova is on the road nine times in 2025, currently sitting at 2-2 away from the Main Line this year. With head coach Samar Azem at the helm, Villanova has gone 9-14-7 away in road games.

Familiar Foes: Since joining the league in 1995, Villanova is 104-139-37 against the BIG EAST. With Azem at the helm, the 'Cats have gone 7-16-9 against conference foes.
 

Against Ranked Sides: Before today, Villanova has faced just one other ranked opponent so far this season, falling to No. 10 Wake Forest 2-0 on August 21. Last year, Villanova played three teams in the top-25, falling in all three contests by a combined 8-0 margin: No. 1 Florida State, 0-2, No. 21 Xavier, 0-3, and No. 23 Georgetown, 0-3.

Creighton 1, Villanova 0 | September 24, 2025 - Villanova, Pa. - Higgins Soccer Complex

Villanova could not land an answer to an early first half goal, falling to Creighton 1-0 on Wednesday at Higgins Soccer Complex. The loss snapped a four-game home winning streak that Villanova, bringing the overall series record with Creighton to an even 6-6 since 2013. Olivia Sides had the game-winner for Creighton in the 14th minute, scoring of a redirect near the front of the goal after a Bluejays corner kick. The goal was the first allowed by the 'Cats at home in the 377 minutes of action. The last goal allowed inside the friendly confines of Higgins was back in the 87th minute of the season-opener against Michigan on August 14. Villanova sent out five shot attempts to Creighton's seven in the first half led by a three-shot effort from Gabby Koluch in that span. In the 32nd minute, she lined up for a free kick after a foul was whistled on Creighton, but her chance was saved near the center of the net by Bluejays keeper Alyssa Zalac. In the second half, Villanova added on five more shots but ended up being outshot by Creighton 13-10 in the match. Koluch led the 'Cats with three attempts. Wildcat goalkeeper Hannah Dickinson was busy between the posts, needing to make six saves on the day to match a season-high on the year. Four of those came in the second half alone with Creighton pressing.

Read the full recap here.