TicketsSept. 15, 2005
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team fell to Louisville, 1-0, in the BIG EAST opener for both squads tonight at UC's Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats (2-3-2, 0-1-0 BIG EAST) were shutout for the first time this season after being held scoreless 11 times in 2004.
The teams played an uneventful first half, as UC outshot the Cardinals (6-1-0, 1-0-0), 5-3. Neither team had particularly good scoring opportunities in a first half dominated by the midfield play of each squad.
The second half was a different story, however, as the teams combined to fire 21 shots, 15 on goal, in the period. Louisville was able to break through in the 78th minute.
The Cardinals' Jessica Mello played the ball into teammate Jamie Craft, streaking up the far sideline. Two Bearcat defenders slowed her progress, but as Craft carried the ball into the box, neither back was able to clear the ball off her foot. She angled a shot past senior goalkeeper Sherry Slye (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) for her third goal of the season, giving Louisville the win in the rivalry match.
Slye made nine saves on the night, but was matched in goal by Cards' freshman Deana Waintraub, who tallied seven saves and posted her fifth shutout in six starts this season. She lowered her goals against average to a paltry 0.17.
The win by Lousiville is just the school's fourth in the long-standing rivalry. The former Conference USA foes each moved to the BIG EAST this season. UC still leads the all-time series with a 17-4-1 mark.
Head coach Meridy Glenn was pleased with her team's second half effort, and as the young squad jells, expects the wins to come. "Our girls really played hard in the second half," Glenn stated. "This is a learning experience. We need to come prepared to play the entire match. We had some good opportunities, but we just weren't able to finish them."
One such opportunity came mid-way through the second half as junior Ana Farmer (Renfrewshire, Scotland/Cardonald College) took a cross and had a wide open net in front of her. Farmer mis-hit the ball and it rolled harmlessly onto the foot of a Louisville defender, who was able to clear it out of the Cardinal end.
The Bearcats will welcome their second straight local rival when crosstown foe Xavier visits Gettler Stadium on Sept. 20. Kickoff between the Bearcats and Musketeers is set for 7 p.m.