Hillery, Lee Power Blue Demons to Draw Against No. 17 Xavier

Wednesday, September 30

Cincinnati, Ohio

5:30 P.M. CT

DePaul University

3-2-5, 0-0-2

Xavier

7-2-1, 1-0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
DePaul	0	1	1
Xavier	0	1	1

Hillery, Lee Power Blue Demons to Draw Against No. 17 Xavier

9/30/2026 10:34:00 PM | WOMEN'S SOCCER

Box Score PDF Box Score

CHICAGO – Tested from start to finish, DePaul women's soccer — led by a stellar performance from senior goalkeeper Mason Hillery and an equalizer from senior midfielder Mackenzie Lee — battled No. 17 Xavier to a 1-1 draw on the road. The result moved DePaul to 3-2-5 on the season and 0-0-2 in BIG EAST play.

"I'm really proud of the team for our commitment to the game plan," said head coach Michele O'Brien. "Every player knew their role, battled relentlessly and played for each other. We defended with heart, and it showed."

How It Happened
The match began with a quick attack from the Xavier side in the opening four minutes, as the team wasted no time netting a goal before the goal was disallowed following VAR review.

With the near-goal scare in the rearview, the Blue Demons and Mason Hillery began work on the backline, fighting off eight shot attempts in the first half.

The first shot came in the 25^th minute, but Hillery snuffed out the chance with a save. DePaul's senior goalkeeper sprang into action 13 minutes later, thwarting a Musketeer attempt toward the bottom-left corner of the goal.

Hillery's most crucial save of the first half came one minute later, when the Musketeers were awarded a penalty kick following a DePaul foul. Facing Xavier's Peyton Kohls, Hillery won the battle, making the save and keeping the match scoreless.

Tied 0-0 coming out of the break, Hillery rallied once again between the posts, coming up with a save in the 55^th minute to deny Kohls another chance to break the deadlock.

Xavier's pressure never tired, but neither did Hillery, as the senior executed her fifth stop of the match in the 66^th minute.

It wasn't until the 72^nd minute that Xavier found a response to Hillery's composure in goal. Netting a ball to the top right corner, Regan Dancer broke the stalemate and gave the Musketeers a 1-0 advantage.

The Blue Demons pushed for an equalizer and were rewarded in the 80^th minute when Lee netted her first goal of the season, leveling the match at 1-1.

Lee's score and Hillery's seven saves were enough to push the Blue Demons to a 1-1 draw with the No. 17 team in the country. Though DePaul got outshot 19-3 and managed just two shots on goal, the team made the second shot count.

"To come back from being down a goal shows our fighting spirit," said O'Brien. "It's a testament to our mentality and our commitment to never giving up and believing we could equalize. A road point against a top 25 team is extremely valuable."

Match Notes

Mackenzie Lee scored the first goal of the season and her career against Xavier.
Mason Hillery faced 19 shots against Xavier — the most shots an opponent has attempted this season. She rerouted seven of those attempts, falling one shy of her career-high eight saves.

Up Next
DePaul turns around quickly, traveling back to Chicago in time to face the Butler Bulldogs at Wish Field on Saturday, Oct. 3. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT, with streaming available on ESPN+.

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