TicketsOct. 3, 2005
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FOR STARTERS:
The men's soccer team, ranked No. 15 in the nation by Soccer America, will step out of conference play for a mid-week road match at Alabama A&M. The Bearcats and Bulldogs will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Oct. 5 in
BEARCAT BITES:
UC remains undefeated (4-0-2) in BIG EAST play and is one point behind (5-0-0) for first place in the Red Division.
UC's tie at improved its unbeaten streak to six matches (4-0-2), one short of the single-season school record set in 1999 and matched in 2003.
The Bearcats have scored 17 goals through 10 matches this season.
UC is currently ranked in four national polls. As of Sept. 27, the Bearcats are No. 15 in the Soccer America poll, No. 21 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll, No. 22 in the Soccer Times poll. The Oct. 3 College Soccer News poll has UC at No. 24.
Twelve different Bearcats have notched at least one point this season.
UC has had a different player score each of its six game-winning goals this season.
Goalkeeper Mike Vessells has posted a 0.47 goals against average and three shutouts over the last six matches (4-0-2).
UC is undefeated through its first six conference matches for the first time in its history.
Sophomore Kenny Anaba has scored in three straight matches, including tallying the game-winner with 16 seconds remaining against Xavier on Sept. 28.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS:
(6-2-2, 4-0-2) ran its unbeaten streak to six matches with a 1-1 tie at on Oct. 1. Kenny Anaba scored for the third straight match, tallying his team-leading fourth goal of the season. The Bearcats were outshot for just the second time this season, as Rutgers fired 13 shots to 's 10.
UC is still outshooting its opponents, 154-116, this season and has outscored the opposition, 9-3, during the six match unbeaten streak. The Bearcats are third in the BIG EAST in shots and sixth in goals (17).
The Bearcats sport a balanced offensive attack with 12 different players scoring points and eight scoring goals. Omar Cummings and Anaba lead the squad with four goals and nine points apiece. Mike Dwyer has tallied two goals and two assists for six points. Goalkeeper Mike Vessells has registered 36 saves, three shutouts, and a 1.08 goals against average this season.
Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his fifth season with the Bearcats. He is 41-32-16 during his tenure at UC. He is 1-0-0 against Alabama A&M.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS:
The A&M Bulldogs enter the UC match with a 4-8-0 overall record after a 1-0 win at Vanderbilt on Oct. 2. scored the game-winner in the 71st minute to lift the Bulldogs to their second straight victory. Sophomore goalkeeper Mlondi Mdluli made eight saves in recording the shutout.
The Bulldogs are led offensively by the trio of Mosito Ranko, Mooketsi Letsholo, and Henery Kaberta, each of whom have scored three goals this season. Castle leads the squad with three assists on the year and has added one goal. Eight different players have scored for the balanced Bulldog attack.
Salah Yousif is in his 18th season as head coach at Alabama A&M. He holds a 207-85-18 record in his time with the Bulldogs and is 0-1-0 against .
UC-ALABAMA A&M SERIES HISTORY:
The Bearcats and Bulldogs have met twice in their histories, with UC earning wins in both contests. The two last squared off in 2002, with UC grabbing a 3-1 win in . The first meeting between the teams came in 1985. The Bearcats topped AAMU, 1-0, in .
THE POLLS ARE OPEN:
The Bearcats are currently ranked in four national polls. As of Sept. 27, UC is No. 15 in the nation according to Soccer . The Bearcats also check in at No. 21 (NSCAA), and No. 22 (Soccer Times). The Oct. 3 version of the College Soccer News poll has UC at No. 24.
UNDEFEATED, UNPRECEDENTED:
The Bearcats' 4-0-2 start in BIG EAST action this season marks the first time in the history of the program that UC has been undefeated six matches into the conference slate. UC is in second place in the Red Division of the BIG EAST, one of the nation's elite soccer conferences. The Bearcats (14 points) trail former Conference affiliate (5-0-0, 15 points) by just a point.
WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY, KENNY:
Coming into the season, the question surrounding the Bearcats after losing the top four scorers from the 2004 sqaud was: Who will score the goals? Sophomore Kenny Anaba has stepped up, scoring four times thus far, including the game-winner against Xavier. The two-headed scoring attack of Anaba and Omar Cummings has yielded eight of UC's 16 goals and accounted for 69 of the Bearcats' 154 shots. Anaba, who scored 40 goals as a senior in high school, has scored in each of the last three matches and added an assist against on Sept. 7. He scored UC's first goal of the season on Sept. 2 against .
VESSELLS DOMINATES:
Junior goalkeeper Mike Vessells has been nothing short of dominant in his last six matches, owning a 0.47 goals against average and leading the Bearcats to a 4-0-2 record. Vessells, a co-captain, has allowed just three goals, one coming off a penalty kick, and has made 24 saves. The 2004 third-team All-Conference USA selection has started every match for the Bearcats this season, and is responsible for all 943:02 minutes in goal.
SPREADING THE WEALTH:
has spread the scoring around this season. Through eight matches, 12 different Bearcats have tallied at least one point. Eight different players have scored goals, with five notching their first career markers for UC. The Bearcats have recorded six wins, and six different players have accounted for game-winning goals.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE:
The Bearcats have gotten some offensive help from their backline through the first 10 matches of the season. UC defender Amir Ikner scored the game-winner against No. 18 Notre Dame. He has also posted two assists, accounting for four points. Fellow defender Kevin Schrand has added two assists and Ewan Blair has also added a helper, giving UC defenders seven points on the year.
BRINGING OUT THE BEST:
UC has played its best this season against its top competition. On Sept. 16, the Bearcats dropped No. 1 UConn from the ranks of the unbeaten win a 2-0 win at home. Just a week later, UC topped No. 18 Notre Dame on the road to stay unbeaten in BIG EAST play. The Bearcats' next big test comes at home against , currently ranked No. 3 by College Soccer News.
OH MY, OMAR!:
Junior Omar Cummings earned BIG EAST and national honors on Sept. 20 after scoring both UC goals in the Bearcats' 2-0 win against No. 1 UConn on Sept. 16. 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 four goals and nine points. He also ranks second in the BIG EAST with 40 shots.
FIRE AWAY:
UC has put pressure on opposing defenses and goalkeepers, as the Bearcats have attempted 154 shots, third in the BIG EAST. By contrast, UC has limited opponents to just 116 shots, including 47 on goal. The Bearcats have posted double-digit shots in all but one match this season, including four matches with 20 or more attempts. UC has outshot its opponent in all but three matches this season. During UC's six-match unbeaten streak, the Bearcats have outshot opponents, 100-76.
FABULOUS 40:
With the Bearcats' 2-1 victory at No. 18 Notre Dame on Sept. 25, head coach Hylton Dayes earned his 40th win with UC. The 2003 Conference Coach of the Year now holds a 40-32-15 record in his fifth season with the Bearcats.
BALANCED ATTACK:
Through the first ten matches of the season, the Bearcats rank in the top 10 in the BIG EAST in each of nine statistical categories. Offensively, UC is sixth in goals, seventh in goals per match, tied for sixth in assists, third in shots, and tied for ninth in corner kicks. On the defensive side, the Bearcats are eighth in goals allowed, seventh in goals against average, seventh in saves, and tied for seventh in shutouts.
NEW FACES MAKING AN IMPACT:
Eight first or second-year Bearcats have scored points for UC this season. Junior transfer Omar Cummings and sophomore Kenny Anaba lead the Bearcats with nine points each (4G, 1A). Sophomores Amir Ikner (1G, 2A), Noah Davidson (1G, 1A), and Kevin Schrand (2A), have combined for two goals and five assists while true freshmen Dominic Oppong (1G) and Landry Gray (2A) have posted two points each.
SOCCER EARNS 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.
UP NEXT:
The Bearcats will play one of the biggest matches in school history when , currently ranked as high as No. 3 nationally, comes to Gettler Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Oct. 8.