TicketsSept. 23, 2006
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team opened BIG EAST divisional play with a 3-0 victory against Syracuse tonight at Gettler Stadium, running the Bearcats' winning streak to four straight. UC is now 6-3-1 overall and 3-2-0 in conference play. The Orange fall to 4-5-0 and 0-5-0 in BIG EAST action.
The Bearcats scored three goals for the third time in the last four matches and have outscored their opponents 11-2 during their winning streak. Mike Vessells picked up his third shutout of the season, making four saves for the Bearcats.
Kenny Anaba scored for the third straight match, netting the game-winner in the 38th minute. Lionel Jackson sent a cross through the box and onto the foot of Omar Cummings, who found Anaba inside the 18. Anaba took one touch, turned and beat SU keeper Robert Cavicchia for his fourth goal of the season.
The Bearcats took that 1-0 lead into the half and quickly added in the second stanza. Cummings slid a through ball into a streaking Mike Dwyer on the far side. Dwyer's cross deflected off a defender and was banged home by Noah Davidson in the 47th minute. Davidson has now recorded a point in four straight matches after notching his second goal of the season.
UC held possession throughout the match and was only seriously threatened twice, both times thwarted by Vessells. In the 73rd minute, SU's was able to wriggle free of the UC defense and break in one-on-one with Vessells. Hall took one too many touches and was unable to get much on his shot as Vessells came charging off his line. The ball rebounded out toward the top of the 18, where the UC keeper dove onto the bouncer. attacker Pete Rowley clipped Vessells after he held possession and was sent off with a straight red card.
With down a man, held possession and ran time off the clock. In the 85th minute, Kieron Gradwell intercepted a pass and fed Kwame Sarkodie along the far side, pulling Cavicchia from his line. Sarkodie's shot beat the SU keeper low to the far post for his second goal of the season.
"I thought we played well," head coach Hylton Dayes said. "I thought we had a good start and defensively, we were very solid. plays a good style of soccer and overall our guys played a solid 90 minutes of soccer."
The Bearcats will welcome rival to Gettler Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Wednesday, Sept. 27.