Villanova men's soccer goalkeeper Alex Yagudayev made 11 saves Saturday, Sept. 26, but couldn't prevent a 2-0 loss to Xavier at Corcoran Field in Cincinnati.
The Wildcats held scoreless through halftime. Xavier broke through just after the break when Nolan Brice converted a set piece at the 47:13 mark. Freshman Beckham Williams added a second goal in the 82nd minute to seal it.
Xavier dominated possession, outshooting Villanova 25-7 and holding an 8-2 edge in corner kicks, the Villanovan reported. Both Xavier scorers earned Big East weekly honors. Brice was named Defensive Player of the Week. Williams earned Freshman of the Week, the conference announced Sept. 28.
Yagudayev, a Brooklyn native who came up through the NYCFC Academy, kept the Wildcats in the game despite the lopsided shot totals. Head coach Mark Fetrow said Sept. 30 that the junior gives the entire team a lift.
"Everyone feels confident when we're defending low, and if we give up the chance or give up a shot, that he's going to be there to make the save," Fetrow said.
Yagudayev has been named Big East Goalkeeper of the Week twice this season, on Aug. 24 and Sept. 8. In a Sept. 17 preview on the Villanova Athletics site, Fetrow called him "one of the best players in college soccer."
Karson Vazquez led the Wildcats' attack with three shots. Fynn Lahrsen nearly equalized after Brice's opener, but Villanova managed just seven total shots against a stingy Xavier back line.
The loss drops Villanova to 4-4-1 overall and 0-2 in Big East play, according to the official schedule. The Wildcats lost their conference opener 2-1 at St. John's on Sept. 18. They are 4-2 at home and 0-2-1 on the road.
Captain Luke Martelli, the team's points leader, continues to anchor the lineup. Fetrow described him Sept. 30 as "our hardest working guy."
Villanova returns to the Higgins Soccer Complex on Friday, Oct. 2, to host Connecticut at 3 p.m. The match will stream live on ESPN+. The Wildcats then host Providence on Saturday, Oct. 10.
