TicketsSept. 28, 2005
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Kenny Anaba (Westerville, Ohio/Worthington Christian) scored the game-winning goal with 16 seconds left as the No. 15 University of Cincinnati men's soccer team topped rival Xavier, 1-0, tonight at UC's Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats ran their unbeaten streak to five matches in improving to 6-2-1 on the season. Xavier dropped to 1-6-1.
UC outplayed Musketeers throughout the match, owning a 24-7 edge in shots, including a 14-1 advantage in shots on goal.
The early scoring chances, however, belonged to Xavier. In the fourth minute, XU forward Jon Enders received a long pass from Matt Kmetz behind the UC defense and fired a shot on frame. Bearcat goalkeeper Mike Vessells (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) made a diving save, punching the ball over the top of the goal. Minutes later, Kmetz served a corner kick into the UC box, where it was headed off the crossbar by Toni Skudrzik.
UC's offensive pressure intensified after the half, as the Bearcats outshot XU, 13-3 in the deciding stanza. Cincinnati had several chances go awry, as Xavier keeper Liam Curren made 12 saves on the night. The biggest Xavier save did not come from the goalkeeper, however. In the 87th minute of action, Anaba beat his defender to his left and fired a shot under the arm of Curren. As the ball trickled toward the goal, a Xavier defender swooped in to clear it out.
Moments later, Anaba got revenge. After taking a through ball from Omar Cummings (Old Harbour, Jamaica/Cincinnati State), the sophomore squared himself and fired a right-footed bullet into the lower left-hand corner of the net to give UC its third straight win.
The Bearcats now own a 21-8-5 record all-time against their crosstown rivals.
"We have to give Xavier credit, certainly," head coach Hylton Dayes said. "You have to throw out the records when UC plays Xavier. These games are always tough."
Vessells earned his third shutout of the season, lowering his goals against average to 1.08. Over his last five matches, Vessells has posted a 0.38 goals against average while helping UC to a 4-0-1 record.
Cincinnati will travel to Rutgers for a BIG EAST showdown with the Scarlet Knights on Saturday, Oct. 1. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.