CINCINNATI - Hardly ever did the season go the way it was planned, but when the dust cleared the 2018 Xavier men's soccer team could look back with pride on another year in the national rankings and a fifth-place finish in the BIG EAST Conference.
The Musketeers survived a five-match losing streak in the latter stages of the season, a barrage of injuries and some poor luck to finish 6-7-6 overall with a 4-4-1 mark in league action.
XU dug deep in its final two regular season matches, however, getting a road win at Seton Hall and taking down rival Butler in a 5-3 shootout to clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championships.