TicketsSept. 10, 2006
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Nicole Sanda scored the first goal of her career just before halftime to propel Cincinnati to a 1-0 win over Oakland in women's soccer action at Gettler Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Kim Sykes received a corner kick from Amy May and headed the ball to Sanda all alone in front for the gamewinner with 34 seconds left in the first half.
The win snapped a two-match losing streak for UC and upped its record to 3-2-1 overall, 2-0-1 at home. The loss was the fourth straight for Oakland, which fell to 1-5-0 and has been shut out in the last three matches.
Freshman Andrea Kaminski made just two saves in recording her third shutout. The Bearcats defense allowed just five shots all match by OU, while UC took 17. Marky Jenkins made eight saves in net for the Golden Grizzlies.
"I would have liked to have seen us score a couple more goals," said head coach Meridy Glenn. "We need to do a better job of attacking early. We were too tight. We need to just let some shots go."
Scoring chances were few and far between in the opening half, with UC getting off just six shots to Oakland's one. Lindsey Noteboom did have a free kick from just outside the penalty area 15 minutes in, but it sailed high. OU's best chance came on a corner kick three minutes later as Kaminski came off her line to grab the serve.
Despite owning the lead, UC was much more aggressive in the second half, taking 11 shots and earning six corner kicks. Kristin May served a perfect corner to Erin McDonald at 51:24, whose header was saved off the line by an Oakland defender.
With 17 minutes to play Sanda hit Jenn Johannigman on a breakaway, but Jenkins made a kick save. Jenkins also thwarted a breakaway attempt by Becky Imhoff with three minutes left.
"We had a much better rhythm in the second half," said Glenn. "We tried some new things in the midfield and Heather Haney and Jessica Legge really came through. But a 1-0 score means (Oakland) was in it the whole game."
The Bearcats equaled last year's win total with the victory.
They open BIG EAST play on national television on Wednesday, as they travel to face rival Louisville at 8 p.m. ET on Fox Soccer Channel's NSCAA Match of the Week.