WVU Mountaineer Sports: Basketball | Football | News |Men's Soccer: WVU Set to Host Xavier

The West Virginia University men's soccer team is set to play host to No. 25 Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 17. Kickoff at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is set for 5 p.m.

            "They are well coached and organized and don't beat themselves," coach Marlon LeBlanc says of Xavier. "There is something to be said about a team that knows how to grind out results and Xavier is a team that doesn't concede goals and finds a way to win games."

            The Mountaineers are making their second-consecutive trip to the championships and their fourth in the past six seasons.

                West Virginia currently has a 10-7-1 record and is at No. 25 in the latest RPI, as well as winning six of its last nine matches. The Mountaineers were last in action on Nov. 6, playing to a 2-0 loss against St. John's in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals.

            Midfielder Shadow Sebele continues to pace the Mountaineers with six goals and seven assists, while BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Andy Bevin leads the squad with seven goals. Uwem Etuk, Nick Claudio, Peabo Doue and all-BIG EAST second team member Eric Schoenle all have two goals.

These two teams faced off last season in the first round of the tournament with Xavier taking a 2-0 lead in the opening five minutes. Franck Tayou then scored three-straight goals to help the Mountaineers to a 4-2 victory.

WVU has a 4-1 series lead over Xavier, including a 3-0 mark at home.

Xavier received an automatic berth following another improbable run through the Atlantic 10 Championship. No. 6 seed Xavier tied No. 2 seed George Washington and then won the championship by way of penalty kicks on Sunday afternoon. The Musketeers defeated the tournament's top three seeds and currently have a 12-4-4 record. This was the second-consecutive season that Xavier beat the tournament's top three seeds to earn the automatic berth.

Xavier is led by second year head coach Andy Fleming and are paced by Luke Spencer, who leads the team with seven goals and five assists for 19 points. In net, Justin Marshall has started 15 games, giving up 14 goals and making 57 saves.

Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and senior citizens. Admission is free for West Virginia University students with a valid student ID. Any fans that have purchased tickets for the 7 p.m. men's basketball game against Alcorn State will be able to present their basketball ticket for $2 admission into the soccer match. There is also a rate of $2 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.

Spectators attending the men's soccer match will be given a parking pass and allowed to park for free in the Natatorium parking lot, but must leave at the conclusion of the game. Those attending the game who wishes to stay for the men's basketball game will be charged $20 to park.