They were looking to put together the latest episode of this highly improbable late-season run in which a Men's Soccer team almost magically transforms a 1-10 start into a chance at postseason success.
On a sunny and crisp autumn afternoon, Jalen Harvey and his University of DePaul teammates scored first but wound up falling 2-1 to Xavier in its first BIG EAST playoff game since 2011.
With Xavier possessing the ball and creating shots early in the game, DePaul took full advantage of a counterattack.
Simon Megally made a run up the middle of XU Soccer Complex pitch and found Harvey in full stride on the left wing. Harvey blasted a shot into the center of the net in the 15th minute for a 1-0 DePaul lead.
That was Harvey's third goal of the season and the second since shifting from the back line to left midfielder last month.
Xavier continued getting ball inside and near the box and found the equalizer in the 31st minute on a shot by Walker Andriot into the lower right of the DePaul net.
Xavier once again swarmed in the Blue Demon box early in the second half, resulting in Alex Ridsdale's header goal in the 48th minute for a 2-1 lead.
