Nov. 6, 2005

Box Score

PHILADEPHIA - Junior midfielder Joel Gunnarson scored the contest's only goal to lead the Xavier University men's soccer team past Saint Joseph's 1-0 in the season finale for both teams on Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia. With the win, XU concludes its season with a 4-10-5 overall record and a level 3-3-3 mark in Atlantic 10 action. The Hawks finish the season at 2-14-1, 0-9-0.

The win was not enough to propel the Musketeers into the A-10 Tournament though as XU needed both Charlotte and Temple to lose on Sunday. The 49'ers downed Duquesne 1-0 and Temple downed Dayton 1-0 to leave Xavier in eighth place in the 14-team league. The top six teams advance to the A-10 Tourney.

Gunnarson's game-winner, the second of his career, came at 26:36. Sophomore Joe Fleckenstein struck a cross deep in the box that found Gunnarson in front of the net. Gunnarson punched the ball low, inside the far post to give XU a lead it would not relinquish.

The Musketeer defense was clicking on Sunday and did not allow Saint Joe's much of a chance to knot the score up. XU held a commanding 15-to-4 advantage in shots including a 7-to-1 advantage in shots on goal.

XU was able to thwart all six of SJU's corner kicks including five in the second half.

Junior goalkeeper Liam Curran finished off his first season in a Xavier uniform with his third shutout of the season. Curran stopped the only shot he faced on Sunday and finished the season with a 4-6-5 record and a 1.28 goals against average. He was between the posts for all four of XU's wins and all three of the Musketeers' shutouts in 2005.

Gunnarson's goal was his first of the season as he became the ninth different Musketeer to find the back of the net in 2005.

Sophomore Jon Enders finished the season with team-highs in goals (4) and points (9) and junior midfielder Matt Kmetz concluded the year with a team-high four assists.

XU improved defensively in 2005, allowing 37 goals as compared to 44 during the 2004 campaign.