TicketsBearcats Bow Out Of C-USA Tourney
UC eliminated by Charlotte for second straight season
Contact: Jeremy Martin
11/12/2004
Senior midfielder John Liersemann |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. ? The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team was eliminated from the Conference USA Tournament with a 2-0 loss against Charlotte today at Cardinal Park in Louisville, Ky. Charlotte, the sixth seed, advances to play second-seeded UAB Saturday at 3:30 p.m. It was the second straight season and the third time in the last six seasons that the 49ers have knocked the Bearcats out of the tournament.
The Bearcats dominated play in the first half, owning a 9-2 advantage in shots. Charlotte keeper Josh Beacham, however, made seven saves in the stanza and the Bearcats were not able to find the net. A golden opportunity was thwarted by Beacham in the 20th minute when junior Jeff Hughes (Independence, Ky./Western Michigan) broke in behind the Charlotte defense and fired a shot into the keeper's chest.
UC and Charlotte went to the locker room in a scoreless tie.
Charlotte opened the scoring less than five minutes into the second half. Pete Palomino beat UC keeper Mike Vessells (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) inside the left post after a Bearcat turnover in the midfield. Charlotte's John Nabers found Palomino who ran stride for stride up the field with UC defender Ewan Blair (St. Catherine, Jamaica/St. John's [N.Y.]) before firing his shot into the lower left corner.
The Bearcats kept on the offensive pressure, but were still unable to mount a serious threat. Beacham made eight saves for the match. In the match, UC outshot the 49ers, 16-4, and had 11 corners to Charlotte's one.
Stephen Traeger capped the scoring for the 49ers in the 80th minute, beating Vessells for the final margin.
The Bearcats finish the season 7-10-2 overall.