Soccer X-Men kick off pre-season with 2 exhibition wins

The X-Men soccer team, under the direction of first year head coach Graham Kennedy, earned a pair of pre-season exhibition wins in New Brunswick over the weekend. 

On Saturday afternoon in Fredericton, the X-Men shutout the UNB Varsity Reds by a 3-0 score. Second year forward Jessie Burgins (Ottawa, ON) scored two goals in the win, both in the second half. Ryan Casey (Charlottetown, PE), a second year defender with the X-Men, opened the scoring in the game at the 50 minute mark, early into the second half. Burgins scored his first goal just minutes later at the 56 minute mark and followed up with his second goal in the 77th minute.

Rookie netminder Andrew MacDonald (Antigonish, NS) and second year keeper Marshall Dawson (Cape Traverse, PE) split the goalkeeping duties for the blue and white in earning the shutout victory.

On Sunday in Moncton, StFX picked up a 5-3 win over the Universite de Moncton Aigles Bleus. Third year defender Miroslav Novak (Prague, Czech Republic) scored the X-Men's first goal in the 32nd minute of the game, followed quickly by goals from teammates Michael Marousek (Prague) and rookie Max Maund (Courtenay, BC) in the 35th and 36th minutes, respectively.

Jessie Burgins scored his third goal of the weekend in the 58th minute and third year forward Joe Phillips (Sussex, NB) rounded out the scoring for the X-Men late in the game in the 82nd minute. Phillips returns to the X-Men line-up after an absence last year due to injury.

The X-Men will now travel to Stellarton on Tuesday afternoon for their final pre-season exhibition game when they play host to the UPEI Panthers at 4:00 pm. The regular season kicks off on Friday, Sept. 11th at the StFX soccer pitch when the X-Men will host the Acadia Axemen at 5:15 pm.