CHICAGO – Despite trailing 2-0 at the half, the No. 2 seeded Saint Xavier University men's soccer team staged a huge second-half rally scoring three unanswered goals to defeat No. 7 seed Cardinal Stritch University (Wis.), 3-2, in first round action of the 2011 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Tournament Saturday night at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago.  With the victory, SXU improves to 11-8-0 on the year and advances to the semifinals on Wednesday, November 9.  The Wolves end their 2011 campaign at 10-8-1.  It was the fourth straight win for the Cougars. 

Things looked bleak for Saint Xavier in the first half when CSU redshirt freshman midfielder Josh Roberts scored on a header in the sixth minute off an assist by junior midfielder Adam Brown.  The Wolves went ahead, 2-0, in the 34^thminute when senior forward Ben Allen found the back of the net following an assist by Roberts.  Cardinal Stritch would take the two-goal lead into the break, but it would not take long for Saint Xavier to mount its comeback.  Just over a minute into the second half, freshman midfielder Luis Medina (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) took advantage of a deflected ball in front of the goal and cut the Wolves lead in half, 2-1. 

Junior midfielder Kyle Breitenbach (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso University/Valparaiso) tied the game, 2-2, in the 52^ndminute after senior midfielder Al Palar (Zabrze, Poland/Plainfield Central) fed him on a free kick.  The game stayed knotted until senior forward Matt Klancic (Aurora, Ill./Bowling Green State University/Waubonsie Valley) scored on a turn-around shot from five yards out off an assist by Medina with less than three minutes to play in regulation.  SXU sophomore keeper Kyle Held (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) finished the night with three saves.  CSU freshman keeper Jim Jones had eight saves for the Wolves.  

Saint Xavier (11-8-0 overall/8-2-0 CCAC) advances to the semifinals of the 2011 CCAC Men's Soccer Tournament and will host a game against No. 3 seed Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) on Wednesday, November 9.  The game will be played at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago starting at 7 p.m.