TicketsBearcats Drop Season Opener, 2-1
Patrick nets lone Bearcat goal
Contact: Jeremy Martin
9/1/2004
Senior Wiremu Patrick |
CINCINNATI, Ohio?The University of Cincinnati men?s soccer team couldn?t overcome a 2-0 halftime deficit and despite a spirited second half comeback, the Bearcats dropped their season opener, 2-1 to IUPUI on Wednesday night at the Oak Hills Soccer Field.
?We did not play well defensively in the first half,? UC head coach Hylton Dayes said. ?It seemed that in the first half we were a little nervous.?
A miscommunication drew UC keeper Mike Vessells (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) out of goal and IUPUI?s Nic Wedig tapped home the first goal of the game in the 12th minute. Just five minutes later, a UC foul allowed IUPUI to take a free kick from 20 yards out. Vangel Nacovski hooked a shot inside the right post to give IUPUI a 2-0 lead.
?You have to give IUPUI credit. They played a good first half,? Dayes added.
Senior Wiremu Patrick (Wellington, New Zealand/Wellington) blasted in a free kick in the 82nd minute to cut the Jaguar lead to 2-1, but that was as close as UC could get.
The Bearcats outshot IUPUI 16-4 and committed 11 fewer fouls, but missed several scoring chances throughout the contest. Junior Ewan Blair (St. Catherine, Jamaica/St. John?s (NY)) had a scoring chance spoiled when he found an opening in the middle of the IUPUI defense and blasted a shot from 35 yards that was punched away by keeper Peter Brasovan. Just seconds later, junior Jarrett Devereaux (Kansas City, Mo./Rockhurst) took a crossing pass and hit the post with a header.
?We kept on knocking and knocking, but we just couldn?t get one in. Their keeper played a great game,? Dayes said.
The Bearcats travel to St. Louis, Mo. next weekend for the Nike Soccer Classic. On Friday, Sept. 10, UC will take on the University of Virginia at 5 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 12, the Bearcats will play SMU at 12 p.m.