Friday, September 29
Omaha, Neb.
7:30 PM
Creighton University
vs
Xavier
Photo by: Justin Kreutzian
Bluejay Men's Soccer Hits the Pitch Against Xavier on Friday
9/26/2023 6:34:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Omaha, Neb. -- With a stellar fan base helping push Creighton Men's Soccer, the Bluejays take on Xavier on Friday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m. Creighton enters Fridays match second in the NCAA with an average attendance of 3,651 fans per contest.
Series History: Creighton Leads Xavier, 9-4-1
Creighton and Xavier first met in 2013 as BIG EAST foes. Since that time the two teams have faced off 14 times, with the Bluejays claiming nine matchups. Creighton has won seven of the last nine contests. In Omaha, the Bluejays are 6-1-0 against the Musketeers.
Date   Opponent   Score
Oct. 5, 2013   * vs. Xavier   W, 2-0
Oct. 18, 2014   * at Xavier   T, 1-1 (2ot)
Nov. 30, 2014   % vs. Xavier   W, 2-1
Oct. 28, 2015   * vs. Xavier   L, 1-2
Oct. 26, 2016   * at Xavier   L, 1-2 (2ot)
Nov. 6, 2016   ^ vs. Xavier   W, 3-1
Oct. 14, 2017   * vs. Xavier   W, 4-1
Oct. 12, 2018   * at Xavier   W, 3-1
Oct. 11, 2019   * at Xavier   L, 0-1
March 6, 2021   * vs. Xavier   W, 2-1
March 24, 2021   * at Xavier   W, 3-0
Oct. 20, 2021   * vs. Xavier   W, 2-0
Oct. 12, 2022   * at #13 Xavier   L, 1-3
Nov. 5, 2022   ^ at Xavier   W, 2-1
* = BIG EASTÂ Â Â Â Â Â ^ = BIG EAST Tournament
% = NCAA Tournament
How to Follow the Match
Creighton's match with Xavier can be watched online (FloSports) or followed on live stats through StatBroadcast. A subscription is required to view the event on FloSports. More information can be found at GoCreighton.com/FloSports.
The online stream offers Josh Peterson and Rob Simms on the call. Updates will be provided during the match on Twitter (@CreightonMSOC).
Scouting Xavier (4-3-1, 1-1-0 BIG EAST)
Xavier enters Friday's match with a 4-3-1 overall record, going 1-1-0 in Big East play. The Musketeers defeated Oakland, Cleveland State, DePaul and Duquesne, while falling to No. 5 Marshall, No. 16 Georgetown and Texas-Rio Grand Valley.
Jerome Jolly leads the pack with three goals on the season, one each against Cleveland State, Duquesne, and BIG EAST opponent DePaul. Five other Musketeers have also contributed goals, with Taylor Rhinehart scoring two against the Blue Demons and Sohei Matsumori also recording two this season.
In goal for Xavier, logging all but two and a half minutes in 2023, is Johnny Mennell, who recorded a 1.38 goals against average for a total of 11 allowed goals and posted two shutouts.
Scouting Creighton (3-3-2, 2-0-0 BIG EAST)
Heading into their third BIG EAST matchup of the season with an overall 3-3-3 record, the Bluejays remain undefeated in conference play and lead the BIG EAST Midwest Division ranking with a record of 2-0-0.
With goalkeeper Blake Gillingham added to the starting lineup for the first time in their BIG EAST opener against No. 13 Marquette, Creighton solidified a 2-1 win after a flurry of first half goals from Landon Sloan and Alfie Pope. Gillingham posted five saves in the matchup. Â
Following the match, Creighton recorded a scoreless draw against Tulsa then executed a 2-1 win over conference opponent DePaul. Offensively, Omar Ramadan and Miguel Arilla led the Bluejays to victory in Creighton's first conference road match against the Blue Demons. Gillingham logged his second five-save match of the 2023 season.
Collectively this season, Alfie Pope leads the team with four goals and Miguel Arilla and Andrija Savic have each posted two for the Bluejays.
Fire at Will
Creighton has become known as an attacking team over the past two seasons, yet coach Torres consistently reminds his team to resist the urge to take shots outside the 18-yard box as those are statistically less efficient. In the Bluejays' 2-1 win over DePaul on September 23, Creighton crossed the 30-shot plateau for the first time since 2017 with 31. The last time Creighton fired away with that voracity was on Oct. 25, 2017 when the Bluejays took 31 shots against Marquette in a 4-3 loss. The record for shots in a single match is 39, set against Villanova on Oct. 24, 2015 in a 5-1 victory.
Yellow Fever
Creighton is experiencing a bit of Yellow Fever over the past two seasons. The Bluejays led the NCAA with 66 yellow cards last season and are currently second in the NCAA with 33 in their first nine matches in 2023.
Cards Up, Penalty Kicks Down
While Yellow Cards are being issued at a record pace, there has yet to be a penalty kick awarded in a Bluejay match this season. During the 2022 season the Bluejays were 10-for-11 on PKs, while opponents went 5-for-5. Looking over the past 22 seasons, just once have there been more than 10 combined in one season.
Combined PKs Per Year Since 2000
2023: Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â 2014:Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 2005:Â Â Â 3
2022: Â Â Â 16Â Â Â Â 2013:Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 2004:Â Â Â 5
2021: Â Â Â 8Â Â Â Â Â Â 2012:Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 2003:Â Â Â 0
2020: Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Â Â Â 2011:Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 2002:Â Â Â 9
2019: Â Â Â 2Â Â Â Â Â Â 2010:Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 2001:Â Â Â 8
2018: Â Â Â 3Â Â Â Â Â Â 2009:Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 2000:Â Â Â 3
2017: Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Â Â Â 2008:Â Â Â 2
2016: Â Â Â 8Â Â Â Â Â Â 2007:Â Â Â 2
2015: Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Â Â Â 2006:Â Â Â 6
Bluejays Enter Friday with Nine Consecutive Matches Against BIG EAST Opposition with Two or More Goals
Creighton enters play against Xavier on Friday with a streak of nine consecutive matches with at least two goals or more. This includes the three contests in the BIG EAST Tournament last season. During that stretch the Bluejays are 7-1-1, including a 6-0 win over Seton Hall in the BIG EAST Semifinals last season.
Gillingham Named to College Soccer News Men's National Team of the Week
Blake Gillingham not only claimed the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week honor, but the California native earned a spot on College Soccer News Men's National Team of the Week on Tuesday, Sept. 26.
Arilla, Gillingham and Ramadan Claim BIG EAST Weekly Honors
The trio of freshman Miguel Arilla, sophomore Blake Gillingham and junior Omar Ramadan earned weekly accolades from the BIG EAST on Monday, September 25. Arilla earned Creighton's third consecutive Freshman of the Week, while Gillingham earned the BIG EAST's Goalkeeper of the Week nod. Ramadan collected a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
Arilla delivered the game-winning goal for the Bluejays in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. It was his second goal of the season, yet his first game-winner. Arilla put the Bluejays up 2-0 in the 62nd minute of play, fielding a pass at the corner of the box from Omar Ramadan and beating a trio of DePaul defenders to fire his shot just inside the near post.
Starting his second and third matches in goal, Gillingham limited Tulsa and DePaul to just one combined goal over 180 minutes to lead the Bluejays to a 1-0-1 week. Blake made five saves in the BIG EAST victory over the Blue Demons and four more in the 0-0 draw at Tulsa. Gillingham faced 14 shots in each contest.
Ramadan collected his first goal and first assist as a Bluejay in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. Playing against his former team, Ramadan put the Bluejays ahead 1-0 with a goal from inside the box in the 20th minute. Ramadan added an assist later in the match, closing the contest with a career-high six shots.
Xavier at Creighton
Friday, September 29 @ 7:30 pm
Stats: https://creighton.statbroadcast.com
Online Stream - FloFC: https://www.flofc.com/live/67341
Spanish Radio - 1020 AM: https://player.listenlive.co/49031/es
Friday, September 29 @ 7:30 pm
Stats: https://creighton.statbroadcast.com
Online Stream - FloFC: https://www.flofc.com/live/67341
Spanish Radio - 1020 AM: https://player.listenlive.co/49031/es
Series History: Creighton Leads Xavier, 9-4-1
Creighton and Xavier first met in 2013 as BIG EAST foes. Since that time the two teams have faced off 14 times, with the Bluejays claiming nine matchups. Creighton has won seven of the last nine contests. In Omaha, the Bluejays are 6-1-0 against the Musketeers.
Date   Opponent   Score
Oct. 5, 2013   * vs. Xavier   W, 2-0
Oct. 18, 2014   * at Xavier   T, 1-1 (2ot)
Nov. 30, 2014   % vs. Xavier   W, 2-1
Oct. 28, 2015   * vs. Xavier   L, 1-2
Oct. 26, 2016   * at Xavier   L, 1-2 (2ot)
Nov. 6, 2016   ^ vs. Xavier   W, 3-1
Oct. 14, 2017   * vs. Xavier   W, 4-1
Oct. 12, 2018   * at Xavier   W, 3-1
Oct. 11, 2019   * at Xavier   L, 0-1
March 6, 2021   * vs. Xavier   W, 2-1
March 24, 2021   * at Xavier   W, 3-0
Oct. 20, 2021   * vs. Xavier   W, 2-0
Oct. 12, 2022   * at #13 Xavier   L, 1-3
Nov. 5, 2022   ^ at Xavier   W, 2-1
* = BIG EASTÂ Â Â Â Â Â ^ = BIG EAST Tournament
% = NCAA Tournament
How to Follow the Match
Creighton's match with Xavier can be watched online (FloSports) or followed on live stats through StatBroadcast. A subscription is required to view the event on FloSports. More information can be found at GoCreighton.com/FloSports.
The online stream offers Josh Peterson and Rob Simms on the call. Updates will be provided during the match on Twitter (@CreightonMSOC).
Scouting Xavier (4-3-1, 1-1-0 BIG EAST)
Xavier enters Friday's match with a 4-3-1 overall record, going 1-1-0 in Big East play. The Musketeers defeated Oakland, Cleveland State, DePaul and Duquesne, while falling to No. 5 Marshall, No. 16 Georgetown and Texas-Rio Grand Valley.
Jerome Jolly leads the pack with three goals on the season, one each against Cleveland State, Duquesne, and BIG EAST opponent DePaul. Five other Musketeers have also contributed goals, with Taylor Rhinehart scoring two against the Blue Demons and Sohei Matsumori also recording two this season.
In goal for Xavier, logging all but two and a half minutes in 2023, is Johnny Mennell, who recorded a 1.38 goals against average for a total of 11 allowed goals and posted two shutouts.
Scouting Creighton (3-3-2, 2-0-0 BIG EAST)
Heading into their third BIG EAST matchup of the season with an overall 3-3-3 record, the Bluejays remain undefeated in conference play and lead the BIG EAST Midwest Division ranking with a record of 2-0-0.
With goalkeeper Blake Gillingham added to the starting lineup for the first time in their BIG EAST opener against No. 13 Marquette, Creighton solidified a 2-1 win after a flurry of first half goals from Landon Sloan and Alfie Pope. Gillingham posted five saves in the matchup. Â
Following the match, Creighton recorded a scoreless draw against Tulsa then executed a 2-1 win over conference opponent DePaul. Offensively, Omar Ramadan and Miguel Arilla led the Bluejays to victory in Creighton's first conference road match against the Blue Demons. Gillingham logged his second five-save match of the 2023 season.
Collectively this season, Alfie Pope leads the team with four goals and Miguel Arilla and Andrija Savic have each posted two for the Bluejays.
Fire at Will
Creighton has become known as an attacking team over the past two seasons, yet coach Torres consistently reminds his team to resist the urge to take shots outside the 18-yard box as those are statistically less efficient. In the Bluejays' 2-1 win over DePaul on September 23, Creighton crossed the 30-shot plateau for the first time since 2017 with 31. The last time Creighton fired away with that voracity was on Oct. 25, 2017 when the Bluejays took 31 shots against Marquette in a 4-3 loss. The record for shots in a single match is 39, set against Villanova on Oct. 24, 2015 in a 5-1 victory.
Yellow Fever
Creighton is experiencing a bit of Yellow Fever over the past two seasons. The Bluejays led the NCAA with 66 yellow cards last season and are currently second in the NCAA with 33 in their first nine matches in 2023.
Cards Up, Penalty Kicks Down
While Yellow Cards are being issued at a record pace, there has yet to be a penalty kick awarded in a Bluejay match this season. During the 2022 season the Bluejays were 10-for-11 on PKs, while opponents went 5-for-5. Looking over the past 22 seasons, just once have there been more than 10 combined in one season.
Combined PKs Per Year Since 2000
2023: Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â 2014:Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 2005:Â Â Â 3
2022: Â Â Â 16Â Â Â Â 2013:Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 2004:Â Â Â 5
2021: Â Â Â 8Â Â Â Â Â Â 2012:Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 2003:Â Â Â 0
2020: Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Â Â Â 2011:Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 2002:Â Â Â 9
2019: Â Â Â 2Â Â Â Â Â Â 2010:Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 2001:Â Â Â 8
2018: Â Â Â 3Â Â Â Â Â Â 2009:Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 2000:Â Â Â 3
2017: Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Â Â Â 2008:Â Â Â 2
2016: Â Â Â 8Â Â Â Â Â Â 2007:Â Â Â 2
2015: Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Â Â Â 2006:Â Â Â 6
Bluejays Enter Friday with Nine Consecutive Matches Against BIG EAST Opposition with Two or More Goals
Creighton enters play against Xavier on Friday with a streak of nine consecutive matches with at least two goals or more. This includes the three contests in the BIG EAST Tournament last season. During that stretch the Bluejays are 7-1-1, including a 6-0 win over Seton Hall in the BIG EAST Semifinals last season.
Gillingham Named to College Soccer News Men's National Team of the Week
Blake Gillingham not only claimed the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week honor, but the California native earned a spot on College Soccer News Men's National Team of the Week on Tuesday, Sept. 26.
Arilla, Gillingham and Ramadan Claim BIG EAST Weekly Honors
The trio of freshman Miguel Arilla, sophomore Blake Gillingham and junior Omar Ramadan earned weekly accolades from the BIG EAST on Monday, September 25. Arilla earned Creighton's third consecutive Freshman of the Week, while Gillingham earned the BIG EAST's Goalkeeper of the Week nod. Ramadan collected a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
Arilla delivered the game-winning goal for the Bluejays in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. It was his second goal of the season, yet his first game-winner. Arilla put the Bluejays up 2-0 in the 62nd minute of play, fielding a pass at the corner of the box from Omar Ramadan and beating a trio of DePaul defenders to fire his shot just inside the near post.
Starting his second and third matches in goal, Gillingham limited Tulsa and DePaul to just one combined goal over 180 minutes to lead the Bluejays to a 1-0-1 week. Blake made five saves in the BIG EAST victory over the Blue Demons and four more in the 0-0 draw at Tulsa. Gillingham faced 14 shots in each contest.
Ramadan collected his first goal and first assist as a Bluejay in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. Playing against his former team, Ramadan put the Bluejays ahead 1-0 with a goal from inside the box in the 20th minute. Ramadan added an assist later in the match, closing the contest with a career-high six shots.
Players Mentioned
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