On Saturday, Oct. 21, Villanova’s men’s soccer team tied Xavier, 1-1, at the Higgins Soccer Complex. This marks nearly a month since the Wildcats last won a game. With the draw, the Wildcats improve to 1-7-5.
Despite the draw, the Wildcats began Saturday’s game on a high note.
Just seven minutes into the match, freshman midfielder Belmar Joseph tapped in his first career goal off a cross from senior midfielder Jorge Garcia.
Joseph has been the talking point of all Wildcat fans and coaches. He has been the team’s breakout star and is growing with every game.
“[The goal] was really set up nicely by Jorge,” head coach Tom Carlin said. “Jorge did a good job of getting the ball in an advanced pocket and going forward with it. We’ve been saying all year [to] run hard in front of the goal and he did that and credit to Belmar for making the run. It was an easy finish, but a finish is a finish so credit to him for the work that he did.”
Saturday was also a big moment for junior defender O’Neil Dawes.
Having made his first career start against Georgetown, the game against Xavier was the first time Dawes has started at home.
“A guy like that, just for him to stay ready the way that he did, he hasn’t played but he’s battled every day at practice,” Carlin said. “He’s a hardworking guy and he’s all emotion and heart, and I’m just proud of him for being able to stay ready and just so happy to see him out there. A guy like that, he works so hard, and you get to reward him and he does well.”
While Dawes and graduate student Gray Ricca led the defense, Garcia and senior Dominic Cyriacks controlled the play in midfield.
The midfield duo allowed junior forwards Balthi Saunders and Vincent Petrera to get forward on the attack, but despite having numerous chances, Saunders was unable to capitalize in the final third. Saunders was substituted out of the match 10 minutes before halftime.
“He’s just got to keep going,” Carlin said. “He’s got to keep shooting and being in advanced pockets and I think that’s like the biggest thing. He had four or five shots today, it’s a funny game and he’s just got to stick with it.”
Heading into the second half the Wildcats still led, 1-0. At the 54-minute mark, freshman forward Luke Martelli replaced Petrera, giving the Wildcats fresh legs on the wing. However, the ‘Cats quickly lost steam.
In the 70th minute, Xavier equalized off a set piece. It would prove to be the final goal, as the game ended 1-1.
The Wildcats drew again in their match against Army, 1-1 on Tuesday. This leaves just two games remaining in the season, both away. The first will come at DePaul on Oct. 28, and the season finale will be against the University of Illinois Chicago on Oct. 30.
With the season winding down, the Wildcats will focus on resting up and getting as many players healthy as possible.
The Wildcats are not mathematically eliminated from the Big East Tournament, but would need a win at DePaul and losses from both Seton Hall and Butler on the final match day.
