Saint Xavier Women’s Soccer team has surpassed all expectations that were placed on them heading into this season., And they’re finding a great pace in their play at the end of the season as the CCAC tournament approaches.
The Cougars are only a game over .500 in their overall record, but are 6-2-2 in conference play. Cardinal Stritch University currently stands at the top with an 8-1-1 record.
This is the most wins in conference for the Cougars since the 2018 season.
The hot streak started with a game against Indiana University Northwest, winning 3-1 at Deaton Field.
Junior defender/midfielder, Neida Ocampo, scored a pair of goals in the match, including the winning goal in the 57th minute.
An assertive performance was given during their next game against Indiana University-South Bend, scoring six goals to IUSB’s zero.
Freshman midfielder, Hope Lewis, led the Cougars’ offense with a hat trick, the first of her collegiate career. Lewis joins her teammates, Peyton Fox and Hailey Henry, with hat tricks on the season. Both Fox and Henry scored three goals each in the game against Calumet College of St. Joseph.
Henry also scored two goals of her own against IUSB. Sophomore forward, Esmerelda Diaz, also scored.
The biggest game of the season thus far for the Cougars was their match against (then) top ranked conference opponent ONU.
On Wednesday the 12, SXU faced off against the Tigers in Bourbonnais looking to make a statement.
And a statement they did! The Cougars won a nail-biter 1-0.
Ocampo scored the only goal of the match in the 17th minute, while Cougar goalkeeper, sophomore Gina Paparelli, had an outstanding game in the net making six saves.
Tuesday the 18 brought a tie to the Cougars’ record. Neither SXU nor Roosevelt University were able to muster up a goal in the late season game.
The Cougars only have three games left, the next coming up against University of Saint Francis (IL) on the 22 in Joliet. The match is scheduled for a 5p kickoff.
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