Despite trailing for the majority of the game, the Xavier men’s soccer team pulled out a victory by scoring three goals in less than three minutes to top Wright State 3-2 on Saturday night.

The Raiders (6-3-1) scored their first goal at the three minute, 33 second mark after a cross glanced off of the body of a Xavier defender. Just one minute later, senior midfielder Brian Cothern sailed his first goal of the season into a wide open net giving Wright State an early 2-0 lead.

After the two quick goals, both teams remained scoreless for 74 minutes until Xavier (6-1-1) finally found the net and began a short scoring frenzy.

The scoring began when sophomore midfielder Gino DePaoli netted an 18-yard free kick for his third goal of the season. DePaoli nailed the ball off of the line of defenders, causing it to change directions and bounce past Raiders goalkeeper Craig Feehan.

DePaoli was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for his efforts demonstrated on the field.

Senior Andrew Boisvert was tripped just 51 seconds later and junior forward Luke Spencer capitalized on the resulting penalty kick by tying it up.

Just 40 seconds after the Musketeers’ second goal, redshirt freshman Will Walker was tackled in the box, giving them yet another chance for a penalty kick. Spencer blasted the shot to the back of the net for his second goal of the game, which also gave him a team-high four goals on the season.

Junior goalkeeper Justin Marshall rebounded from his early woes by saving four shots and collecting his sixth win this year.

As a result of the win, Xavier received 16 votes for the NCAA top 25 and it barely missed the cut.

The Musketeers begin conference play Friday at home against Fordham as they attempt to defend their championship title from last year.

Spiders stomped by LU

Richmond was unable to stifle a striving Lancers’ offense as the Spiders dropped their third straight, losing 3-1 on Saturday evening.

The teams were scoreless through 31 minutes, until freshman Zach Crandall broke away from the defense and scored his first goal of the game.

Eight minutes later, junior Niels van Pelt scored what turned out to be the game-winner. Longwood sent a corner kick van Pelt’s way and he directed it off his head into the back of the net for his first goal on the campaign.

The Spiders (1-7-1) were able to cut into the two-goal deficit six minutes into the second half when freshman standout forward Timmy Albright followed up van Pelt by nailing a header of his own.

The goal was set up by a corner kick from Spencer Schiff, which glanced off the foot of junior defender Jonathan Stephenson straight to the head of Albright, who tallied his team-leading fourth goal of the year.

In the final minutes, van Pelt knocked a long pass to Crandall, who shot the ball past Spider goalkeeper Thomas Hand for his second goal of the game, giving him a team-leading five goals on the season.

Despite the loss, Hand still made seven saves as the Lancers (5-4-1) dominated on offense, putting up 21 shots. On the other side of the field, the Spiders took eight shots, while Longwood keeper Joel Hemick recorded two saves.

Richmond opens up conference play at home Friday night against Temple, which is reeling, having dropped four of its last five contests.

Taylor Snow can be reached at [email protected].