TicketsSept. 21, 2005
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FOR STARTERS:
The men's soccer team will hit the road for two difficult BIG EAST matches this week. The Bearcats will take on former Conference foe on Sept. 23 in . Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from Valley Fields. UC will then travel to Notre Dame for a 2 p.m. ET match with the No. 18 Fighting Irish on Sept. 25.
BEARCAT BITES:
UC leads the BIG EAST Red Division with a 2-0-1 conference mark.
The Bearcats have scored 11 goals through six matches this season.
Omar Cummings earned BIG EAST and Soccer America Player of the Week honors after leading UC to a 2-0 win against No. 1 Connecticut.
Eleven different Bearcats have notched at least one point this season.
UC is undefeated through its first three conference matches for the first time since 2003, when the Bearcats won their first Conference title.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS:
(3-2-1) remained unbeaten in BIG EAST play with a 2-0 win against previously undefeated , ranked No. 1 in the nation by Soccer , and a 1-1 tie against last week.
Against UConn on Sept. 16, Omar Cummings put the Bearcats on top, 1-0, with a blast from 50 yards out that sailed over the outstretched arms of the Huskie keeper. Cummings cemented the Bearcat win with his second goal of the match and third of the season in the 89th minute, sending the Huskies to their first loss of the year. UC goalkeeper Mike Vessells earned his first shutout of the season, making two saves.
Against the Friars on Sept. 18, UC jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a Sam Miller blast in the sixth minute. fought back to tie the match at 1-1 on a penalty kick in the 56th minute. Vessells again played well, making seven saves and allowing just the penalty kick goal. UC leads the BIG EAST Red Division with seven points, while , , and Villanova trail with six points apiece.
Cummings leads UC with three goals and six points. He is tied for seventh in the league with three goals and ranks second with 25 shots. Defenders Kevin Schrand and Amir Ikner have each tallied two assists to lead the squad. Mike Vessells has made 21 saves and holds a 1.44 goals against average.
Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his fifth season with the Bearcats. He is 38-32-15 during his tenure at UC. He is 2-2-1 in his career against and will face Notre Dame for the first time.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES:
opened its inaugural BIG EAST season last weekend with a 1-1 tie at . The Golden Eagles then dropped a tough 1-0 decision at No. 10 St. John's. (3-2-1, 0-1-1) has scored just four goals in six matches this season, but has allowed only three.
Freshman Duncan Silvert-Noftle leads MU with two goals and four points. The goalkeeper tandem of Steven Grow and Andy Kroll has posted a combined 0.48 goals against average while making 25 saves and shutting out three opponents. The Golden Eagles have been outshot, 76-53, on the season.
Head coach Steve Adlard is 138-111-21 in his 14th season at . He is 11-5-3 in his career against UC. Adlard is 2-2-1 head-to-head against Dayes.
UC-MARQUETTE SERIES HISTORY:
holds an 11-8-3 lead in the series between the former Conference foes. topped UC, 2-1, in the 2004 regular season finale for both teams at Gettler Stadium. The squads have met six times in postseason tournament action, with holding a 4-1-1 record in those match-ups. The teams first met in 1985, with UC picking up a 3-1 home win.
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH:
Notre Dame enters the weekend with a 4-2-0 record and a 1-1-0 ledger in BIG EAST play. The Irish are ranked as high as No. 15 by Soccer in this week's poll.
Notre Dame opened its BIG EAST schedule last weekend, splitting road contests against No. 10 St. John's (L, 2-1) and (W, 1-0). Justin McGeeney scored the only Irish goal of the weekend against . The goal scored in the 2-1 loss at was an own goal.
Notre Dame is led offensively by Nate Norman and Joe Lapira, each of whom have scored twice this season. Goalkeeper Chris Cahill has allowed just four goals in six matches this season while making 17 saves. His 0.64 goals against average ranks fourth in the BIG EAST.
Irish head coach Bobby Clark is in his fifth season at Notre Dame. He holds a 210-84-35 overall record in 19 seasons, and is 57-21-10 with the Irish. has never faced the Bearcats.
UC-NOTRE DAME SERIES HISTORY:
and Notre Dame have met six times on the soccer field, with UND holding a 3-2-1 advantage. The Bearcats and Irish last squared off in 1980, when Notre Dame topped UC, 3-0, in . The first meeting between the new conference opponents took place in 1973, UC's first year of varsity soccer. Notre Dame won, 3-2, in
OH MY, OMAR!:
Junior Omar Cummings earned BIG EAST and national honors after scoring both UC goals in the Bearcats' 2-0 win against No. 1 UConn. Cummings earned Soccer America Player of the Week honors as well as being named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week. The transfer from nearby leads UC with three goals and six points. He also ranks second in the BIG EAST with 25 shots.
FIRE AWAY:
UC has put pressure on opposing defenses and goalkeepers, as the Bearcats have attempted 88 shots, with 43 of those on goal. By contrast, UC has limited opponents to just 69 shots, including 30 on goal.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE:
The Bearcats have gotten some offensive help from their backline through the first six matches of the season. UC defenders Amir Ikner and Kevin Schrand each have recorded two assists. Ewan Blair has also added an assist, giving UC defenders five points.
THE RETURN OF THE MATT:
Senior captain Matt Hayden made his first appearance of the season against UConn, seeing 24 minutes of action against the No. 1-ranked Huskies. He also saw time in UC's 1-1 tie against . Hayden is recovering from a foot injury.
SPREADING THE WEALTH:
has spread the scoring around this season. Through six matches, 11 different Bearcats have tallied at least one point. Seven different players have scored goals, with five notching their first career markers for UC.
SOCCER GRABS FIRST BIG EAST WIN:
The men's soccer team became the first of athletic program to win a BIG EAST Conference game with its 4-3 victory at on Sept. 7. The women's soccer team will have a chance to win its first BIG EAST match against defending national champion Notre Dame on Sept. 23. Volleyball welcomes on Sept. 23 for its first conference match. Football opens its BIG EAST slate at on Oct. 8.
UP NEXT:
The Bearcats will return home to for its annual non-conference clash with crosstown rival Xavier. UC and XU will kickoff at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28 at 's Gettler Stadium.