TicketsOct. 12, 2005
No. 18 Men's Soccer Falls to Oakland
Anaba scores sixth goal of the season in loss
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team, ranked No. 18 in the nation, dropped its second straight one-goal match, 2-1, tonight against Oakland at Gettler Stadium. Despite outshooting the visiting Grizzlies, 16-9, the Bearcats fell to 7-4-2 on the season, while Oakland improved to 5-6-0.
A slow and physical first half ended in a scoreless tie, as the Bearcats posted seven shots and five corner kicks in the stanza. Each team earned seven fouls during the half, while Oakland's Adam Brent earned the first of three yellow cards for the Grizzlies.
In the 57th minute, OU got on the board. Oakland's Wade Allen passed off to Wes Allen, who returned the pass inside the right side of the Cincinnati box. Allen fired a right-footed blast inside the far post to give OU a 1-0 lead.
Just three minutes later, sophomore Kenny Anaba (Westerville, Ohio/Worthington Christian) put home the equalizer for UC. Senior captain Matt Hayden (Colorado Springs, Colorado/Liberty) trapped a free ball in the midfield and played a perfectly placed through ball up the right side to Omar Cummings (Old Harbour, Jamaica/Cincinnati State). Cummings drew three defenders and dropped a pass off to Anaba, who beat Oakland goalkeeper Jeff Wiese for his fifth goal in the last six matches. Anaba leads the Bearcats with six goals on the season.
Oakland would answer, however, as Nick Nelson took a feed from teammate Jim Denk inside the UC box and beat UC keeper Mike Vessells (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) for the game-winner in the 76th minute.
Vessells made three saves and allowed more than one goal for the first time in nine matches.
"Oakland is a team that playes very physically," UC head coach Hylton Dayes said. "I'm disappointed with the result, but credit Oakland. They were ready to play. We didn't play well defensively; we just weren't sharp."
The physical match saw Oakland commit 19 fouls to UC's 14 and the Grizzlies earn three yellow cards.
Cincinnati gets back to BIG EAST action with an Oct. 15 tilt at Syracuse. The Bearcats and Orange will kick off at 7 p.m. from the Lampe Athletics Complex.