TicketsMen's Soccer Plays Butler to 1-1 Draw
Gallegos scores fifth goal of season for Bearcats
Contact: Jeremy Martin
10/12/2004
Sophomore goalkeeper Mike Vessells made 12 saves against Butler. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio ? The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team played to a 1-1 tie tonight (Oct. 12) against Butler at a rain-drenched Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats and Bulldogs each extended unbeaten streaks. UC has not lost in its past three contests and moved to 3-7-2 overall. Butler extended its unbeaten string to nine straight and moves to 9-3-1 overall.
Senior forward Jeremiah Gallegos (Laguna Beach, Calif./St. Margaret) got the Bearcats on the board early, netting his fifth goal just 2:59 into the match. Gallegos sent the ball into the Butler zone, and, after a failed clearing attempt, drilled a shot past Bulldogs keeper Frank Peabody from just inside the box for a 1-0 lead. The goal tied him with fellow senior Wiremu Patrick (Wellington, New Zealand/Wellington) for the team lead.
Then the rains came. With the turf at Gettler Stadium sopping wet, the match moved to the half with UC holding a 1-0 lead. Butler outshot the Bearcats, 11-8, in the half.
Butler knotted the match at one in the 62nd minute when John Mariscalco blasted a shot from 30 yards out that UC keeper Mike Vessells (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) got a hand on, but was unable to keep out of the net.
Vessells continued his stellar play as of late, making 12 saves, several of the spectacular sort. He has allowed just two goals during UC's three-match unbeaten streak.
"Mike is a good college goalkeeper. And you are seeing him coming into his own," said Cincinnati head coach Hylton Dayes. "He's really been a tower of strength for us back there."
The Bearcats had a chance to take the lead in the second overtime as Gallegos got past two defenders and fired a shot from the right side that was saved on a magnificent sprawling play by Peabody.
Butler's Tim Blake earned a yellow card with nine seconds remaining the second overtime, allowing John Liersemann (Carrollton, Texas/Trinity Christian) a free kick from 40 yards out, but the kick was headed out of the box, ending the threat and the match.
The Bearcats are next in action on Oct. 16 as they play host to No. 13 USF at 7 p.m.