TicketsOct. 21, 2005
, -- The University of women's soccer team was unable to overcome sloppy, rainy conditions and an early goal in falling, 1-0, tonight at Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats fall to 3-11-3 overall and 1-8-1 in BIG EAST play with the loss. , winner of four straight, moves to 8-9-1 and 4-6-0 in the conference.
Playing in a torrential downpour for much of the match, scored in the eighth minute and made that goal stand up despite a strong second-half comeback by the Bearcats. After goalkeeper Sherry Slye (/Roger Bacon) attempted to clear out a pass in the UC box, Nina Montero gathered the ball and chipped a shot over the head of a retreating Slye for her third goal of the year.
outshot the Bearcats, 4-2, in a first half marred by the heavy rain and standing water on the field. Neither team was able to string many passes together as the ball was slowed quickly to a stop on the soggy turf.
UC played much more aggressively in the second stanza, holding a 6-5 edge in shots. The Bearcats had two great scoring opportunities just moments apart, but were unable to post the equalizer. In the 68th minute, senior Lauren Buland (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) took a feed in the box from classmate Marie Strelka (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) but her shot from point blank range was stopped by Rutgers keeper Nora Crawford. Less than two minutes later, freshman Kristin May (Hudson, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) played a perfectly-placed through ball into a streaking Jen Leiter (Cincinnati, Ohio/Univ. of Florida) behind the RU defense. Leiter, alone with Crawford, slid her shot from 12 yards wide right. Crawford made three saves in recording her fifth shutout of the season.
"We were right there," head coach Meridy Glenn said. "The first half was a mess. Both teams had to adjust and any plan you might have had just gets thrown out the door. We created some goal opportunities, but we just weren't able to finish."
was mathematically eliminated from the BIG EAST Tournament with tonight's loss.
The Bearcats will play host to Seton Hall on Sunday, Oct. 23 at Gettler Stadium in their final match of 2005. Prior to the 12 p.m. kickoff, UC will recognize its six seniors with an on-field Senior Day ceremony.