TicketsBearcats Victorious In C-USA Opener
Hughes nets first two goals of season
Contact: Jeremy Martin
9/25/2004
Junior Jeff Hughes |
CINCINNATI, Ohio ? The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team won its Conference USA opener, 2-1, against East Carolina tonight (Sept. 25) in front of 372 spirited spectators at Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats improved to 2-5-0 on the season and is undefeated in its last four C-USA lidlifters.
The Pirates got on the scoreboard first after a Cincinnati miscommunication left Matt Kowaleski alone on the left side of the box. He gathered in a pass from teammate J.W. Gallagher and knocked in a shot over the head of UC keeper Mike Vessells (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) at 9:25.
Senior Jeff Hughes (Independence, Ky./Western Michigan) got the Bearcats back in the game at 36:55 when he scored his first goal of the season after receiving a pass from junior Eric Edwards (Cincinnati, Ohio/Country Day) and blasted a shot from 30 yards out, beating ECU goalkeeper Brian Pope to knot the score at one.
The teams traded possessions throughout the early stages of the second half until Hughes broke away from the ECU defense, drawing Pope out of goal. Hughes chipped the ball over the keeper and held off two defenders to tap in the game winner at 83:55.
Hughes, a transfer from Western Michigan, finally got on the scoreboard after leading the team with 17 shots entering tonight's contest. Hughes scored 16 goals to lead the Mid-American Conference last season.
Junior forward Jarrett Devereaux (Kansas City, Mo./Rockhurst) was hurt attempting a shot late in the second half. Devereaux was carried off the field on a stretcher with a leg injury.
"It seems like even when we win, we lose," said UC head coach Hylton Dayes. "It was a good win, but it hurts to lose a player like him (Devereaux)."
The Bearcats outshot the Pirates, 17-7, and had 11 fewer penalties.
UC is next in action at home Wednesday, Sept. 29, as they play host to Memphis at 7 p.m.