TicketsBearcats Play Host to Butler, No. 15 USF
Bearcats look to extend two-match unbeaten streak
Contact: Jeremy Martin
10/11/2004
Jeremiah Gallegos is second on the team with four goals this season. |
The University of Cininnati men?s soccer team (3-7-1/2-2-1 C-USA) returns to Gettler Stadium for a non-conference match with Butler on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. The Bearcats then play host to No. 15 USF on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: UC defeated Charlotte, 3-0, behind two goals from Wiremu Patrick and shutout goalkeeping from Mike Vessells.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS: The Butler Bulldogs travel to Cincinnati for the non-conference match with a 9-3-0 overall record and a spotless 3-0-0 mark in Horizon League action. Butler has won eight straight matches.
The Bulldogs are led by Scott Olsen, who has scored seven goals and accumulated 19 points this season.
Fourth-year head coach Joe Sochacki holds a 41-29-6 record at Butler.
UC-BUTLER SERIES HISTORY: The Bulldogs hold a 5-3-1 lead in the all-time series. UC won last year?s meeting by a 2-1 score in overtime.
SCOUTING THE BULLS: The USF Bulls visit Gettler Stadium as the No. 15 team in the country, owners of a 7-0-2 overall record, including a 3-0-1 C-USA mark.
USF is led by 2003 leading scorer Hunter West. West has scored five goals thus far in 2004 after leading the Bulls with seven a year ago.
The Bulls are coached by George Kiefer (So. Connecticut St. ?94). Kiefer owns a 25-15-5 overall record in his three seasons at the helm.
UC-USF SERIES HISTORY: USF leads the all-time series, 5-4-2, however, the Bearcats are unbeaten in the past three meetings, playing the Bulls to a 1-1 draw last season.
PATRICK CLIMBING CHARTS: Senior forward Wiremu Patrick continues his ascent up the Bearcat career scoring lists. Patrick has scored five goals this season, moving into a sixth-place tie with Craig McDowell (1980-83) on the school?s all-time goals list with 25. Patrick also owns the seventh-highest career point total in UC history with 61 total points.
CUTTING IT CLOSE: Although the Bearcats are 3-7-1, they have played each match tight, with nine matches being decided by one goal or less, including a 1-1 tie against DePaul on Oct. 6. Cincinnati, fielding a young team that starts only four seniors, has played a tough schedule that has included two top-25 teams and three 2003 NCAA Tournament participants.
SHOOTING BLANKS: The Bearcats have launched plenty of shots this season, outshooting opponents by a 127-125 count. But the quality of the shots has not necessarily matched the quantity. UC has been able to fire only 44 attempts on goal, a league-low 35 percent. Not surprisingly, the Bearcats? leading scorer, Wiremu Patrick, has attempted 20 shots, with 12 on goal.
BEARCAT ONE-TWO PUNCH: Seniors Wiremu Patrick and Jeremiah Gallegos have combined to score nine of the Bearcat?s 12 goals and score 19 of UC?s 35 points this season. The Bearcats are 2-2-1 when one of the two veterans nets a goal. Gallegos scored two goals in a 3-2 win against Bradley on Sept. 16. Not to be outdone, Patrick notched a pair of tallies in the Bearcat?s 3-0 win at Charlotte on Oct. 9.
GOALS HARD TO COME BY: With its 1-0 loss at UAB on Oct. 2, UC has now been shutout five times in 2004. The Bearcats were shutout on only six occasions in 20 matches last season.
C-USA POLL: The Bearcats have been picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll of Conference USA?s coaches. Perennial power Saint Louis was tabbed as the top team in the conference, while UC, UAB, USF, and Charlotte look to wrestle the title away from the Billikens.
COMING UP: UC will visit C-USA pre-season favorite Saint Louis on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. CT before returning home to play Bowling Green in a non-conference match on Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m.