TicketsOct. 13, 2005
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FOR STARTERS:
After losing two striaght matches for the first time this season, the of men's soccer team will look to get back on the winning track with a trip to for the first-ever meeting with the Syracuse Orange. The Bearcats (7-4-2, 4-1-2 BIG EAST) are just four points behind South Florida in third place in the BIG EAST's Red Division, while (5-6-2, 1-5-1) sits in eighth place.
BEARCAT BITES:
Sophomore Kenny Anaba has scored a goal in five of the last six matches.
UC's 1-0 loss against No. 3 St. John's on Oct. 8 snapped its school record-tying seven match unbeaten streak.
Against , UC was shutout for just the second time this season.
UC is currently ranked in four national polls. The Bearcats are No. 18 in both the NSCAA Coaches poll and the Soccer America poll, No. 21 in the Soccer Times poll, and No. 24 according to College Soccer News.
UC sits in third place in the competitive BIG EAST Red Division with 14 points, just four points behind former Conference rival South Florida and three points back of preseason favorite .
Twelve different Bearcats have notched at least one point this season.
Against , goalkeeper Mike Vessells allowed more than one goal in a match for just the third time this season and for the first time in the previous 10 matches.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS:
(7-4-2, 4-1-2) dropped its second straight home contest, falling, 2-1, against , despite outshooting the visiting Grizzlies, 16-9. UC sophomore Kenny Anaba scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season in the loss and has now notched a marker in five of the last six matches. The physical match saw 33 total fouls and three yellow cards. goalkeeper Mike Vessells allowed more than one goal in a match for just the third time this season. It was the first time since a 4-3 overtime win at on Sept. 7 that Vessells has seen two balls get by him.
UC is outshooting its opponents, 189-157, this season and has outscored the opposition, 12-7, over the last nine matches. The Bearcats are third in the BIG EAST in shots and sixth in goals (20).
The Bearcats sport a balanced offensive attack with 12 different players scoring points and eight scoring goals. Six different Bearcats have accounted for game-winning goals this season. Anaba leads the squad with six goals, while he and Omar Cummings (5G, 3A) have each accounted for 13 points. Mike Dwyer has tallied two goals and two assists for six points. Vessells has registered 50 saves, three shutouts, and a 1.11 goals against average this season.
Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his fifth season with the Bearcats. He is 42-34-16 during his tenure at UC. Dayes will face for the first time.
SCOUTING THE :
The Syracuse Orange enters the match on the heels of a 2-0 loss to at home on Oct. 12. The outshot the Red Dragons, 17-9, but fell to 5-6-2 on the year. On Oct. 9, handed South Florida its first conference loss with a 1-0 win in .
has scored just 10 goals this season, but has allowed only 11. The has outshot its opponents, 150-124, on the season.
Pete Rowley leads the with five goals and 10 points. Isaac Collins paces the squad with four assists. Goalkeeper Robert Cavicchia has played all but 37 minutes in goal this season, posting a 0.76 goals against average and five shutouts, while making 43 saves.
Head coach Dean Foti holds a 110-126-21 overall record in his 15th season at . He has never faced .
UC-SYRACUSE SERIES HISTORY:
New divisional BIG EAST rivals, the Bearcats and will meet for the first time in school history this season.
THE POLLS ARE OPEN:
The Bearcats are currently ranked in four national polls. UC is No. 18 in the nation according to the NSCAA Coaches poll and Soccer . The Bearcats also check in at No. 21 (Soccer Times) and No. 24 (College Soccer News).
UNDEFEATED, UNPRECEDENTED:
The Bearcats' 4-0-2 start in BIG EAST action this season marked the first time in the history of the program that UC had been undefeated six matches into the conference slate.
ALL THINGS MUST COME TO AN END:
Several streaks came to an end in the Bearcats' 1-0 loss against No. 3 St. John's. UC's seven-match unbeaten streak, which tied a school record set in 1999 and matched in 2003, was snapped by the Red Storm. The Bearcats had gone seven matches since last being shutout, a 1-0 loss to on Sept. 11. had been 4-0-0 in its last four matches against nationally-ranked opponents and had not lost in six BIG EAST matches this season. Sophomore forward Kenny Anaba had scored in four straight matches before being kept off the scoreboard by .
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 six times thus far, including the game-winner against Xavier. The two-headed scoring attack of Anaba and Omar Cummings has yielded 11 of UC's 20 goals and accounted for 89 of the Bearcats' 189 shots. Anaba, who scored 40 goals as a senior in high school, has scored in five of his last six matches.
VESSELLS DOMINATES:
Junior goalkeeper Mike Vessells has been nothing short of dominant in his last nine matches, owning a 0.74 goals against average and leading the Bearcats to a 5-2-2 record. Vessells, a co-captain, has allowed just seven goals, two coming off penalty kicks, and has made 38 saves during that span. The 2004 third-team All-Conference USA selection has started every match for the Bearcats this season, and is responsible for all 1213:02 minutes in goal.
SPREADING THE WEALTH:
has spread the scoring around this season. Through 13 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 seven 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 13 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. On Oct. 8, despite playing a man down for the final 85 minutes of the match, the Bearcats hung with No. 3 St. John's, ultimately falling, 1-0.
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 13 points. He is second on the squad with five goals. Cummings ranks second in the BIG EAST with 50 shots.
FIRE AWAY:
UC has put pressure on opposing defenses and goalkeepers, as the Bearcats have attempted 189 shots, third in the BIG EAST. By contrast, UC has limited opponents to just 157 shots, including 65 on goal. The Bearcats have posted double-digit shots in all but two matches this season, including four matches with 20 or more attempts. UC has outshot its opponent in all but five matches this season.
IRON IKNER:
Sophomore defender Amir Ikner has started all 13 matches for the Bearcats in 2005 and has yet to leave the field. He and goalkeeper Mike Vessells are the only Bearcats to play in every one of the 1,213 minutes of action this season. After starting the final 11 matches of his freshman campaign, Ikner has played in 2,091 of a possible 2,246 minutes over the last 24 matches. The Bearcats are 12-8-4 and have given up just 24 goals in that span.
NEW FACES MAKING AN IMPACT:
Eight first or second-year Bearcats have scored points for UC this season. Junior transfer Omar Cummings (5G, 3A) and sophomore Kenny Anaba (6G, 1A) lead the Bearcats with 13 points apiece. 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:
will play its second straight road match, a non-conference clash against in-state rival , on Oct. 19. The Bearcats and Falcons are set to kick off at 3 p.m. from Cochrane Field.