TicketsNov. 8, 2007
KICKOFF:
The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team will take on BIG EAST Red Division Champion DePaul in the quarterfinals of the 2007 BIG EAST Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 10. The Bearcats and Blue Demons, former Conference USA foes, will kick off at Wish Field at 1 p.m. CT.
BEARCAT BITES:
UC has won four straight - all by shutout - and finished fifth in the BIG EAST Red Division with a 5-5-1 mark.
Noah Davidson was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week and Miguel Rosales earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week honors after leading UC to a pair of wins last week.
The Bearcats are 7-1-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents 17-3.
Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his seventh season at UC, holding a 65-52-19 record with the Bearcats and a 161-137-38 mark as a head coach.
UC was picked to finish fourth in the Red Division in the BIG EAST preseason coaches poll.
Senior defender Amir Ikner was named to the preseason all-BIG EAST team after earning all-BIG EAST second team and NSCAA/adidas all-Great Lakes honors in 2006.
UC's eight-member recruiting class was ranked No. 26 by CollegeSoccerNews.com.
LAST TIME OUT:
UC exacted a measure of revenge against Providence when the Bearcats topped the Friars, 2-0, in the first round of the 2007 BIG EAST Tournament on Nov. 7 at PC's Glay Field. Patrick Baxter scored on a header in the 34th minute and Kenny Anaba added an insurance goal late in the game to lead the Bearcats to their first-ever BIG EAST Tournament win. UC eliminated Providence after PC knocked UC from the tournament in each of the last two seasons.
SCOUTING THE BLUE DEMONS:
DePaul is 11-6-0 overall and won the BIG EAST Red Division title with a 7-4-0 conference mark after being picked by the league's coaches to finish eighth in the division.
DePaul has allowed just 12 goals all season and finished with an 8-1-0 mark at home in 2007, knocking off No. 2 Connecticut on Sept. 23.
Alex Mangan leads the Blue Demons with seven goals and 15 points. Five of his seven goals were game winners.
Goalkeeper Brian Visser has started 16 of DePaul's 17 matches, posting a 0.74 goals against average and nine shutouts.
Head coach Craig Blazer holds a 42-76-11 mark in his seventh season at DePaul.
BIG EAST HONORS TWO BEARCATS:
Noah Davidson and Miguel Rosales were honored by the BIG EAST, earning Offensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Week honors, respectively, after leading the Bearcats to a pair of wins last week. Davidson scored the game-winning goals in both UC wins. He converted from the penalty spot against No. 11 Michigan State in the first half and did the same at Rutgers. Rosales posted shutouts in both wins, making seven saves against Michigan State and three against the Scarlet Knights.
CINCINNATI STATE CONNECTION:
Patrick Baxter and Scott Stockum, both former Cincinnati State standouts, have made the transition to Division I soccer look easy. Baxter, a senior, was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week and earned a spot on the CollegeSoccerNews.com National Team of the Week on Sept. 24 after scoring three goals and adding an assist in UC's weekend sweep of Georgetown and Seton Hall. Stockum, a junior, is fifth on the team with seven points, posting two goals and three assists in 14 matches this season. The pair followed an all-time Bearcat great from Cincinnati State, Omar Cummings, who earned a pair of unanimous all-BIG EAST first-team honors and the first first-team all-America award in UC men's soccer history in 2006.
FRESH FACE IN GOAL:
Freshman goalkeeper Miguel Rosales has started all but the first match of the season in goal for the Bearcats, posting his first career shutout against Xavier on Sept. 13. A two-time Colorado Player of the Year as a prep star at Smoky Hill High School, Rosales has posted 69 saves, a 0.80 goals against average and seven shutouts. He was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week on Sept. 24 and earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week accolades on Nov. 5. Rosales has been especially hot as of late, posting four straight shutouts in leading the Bearcats to four consecutive wins and a BIG EAST Tournament berth.
FROM THE RANKS:
UC is 2-3-1 this season against ranked teams. UC defeated No. 25 DePaul, 1-0, on Oct. 6 and No. 11 Michigan State, 2-0, on Oct. 31. The Bearcats played No. 2 Notre Dame to a 1-1 draw in South Bend on Sept. 28. UC dropped a 1-0 decision at No. 24 New Mexico on Sept. 9, fell, 1-0, at No. 25 Louisville on Oct. 17 and lost a 3-2, double overtime battle at USF on Oct. 24.
ANABA AT IT AGAIN:
Senior forward Kenny Anaba scored a pair of goals in UC's season opener on Aug. 31. He added two more against Xavier on Sept. 13. The team's leading goal-scorer each of the last two seasons, Anaba is ascending the career records list at UC. With his 10 goals this season, Anaba is seventh in school history with 26 tallies. He is eighth with 65 career points (26 G, 13 A).
A HELPING HAND:
Lionel Jackson has posted a career-best eight assists through the end of the 2007 regular season. The Bearcats' primary weapon on corner kicks and set pieces, the junior left back leads the squad in helpers and ranks third in the BIG EAST.
CENTERS OF ATTENTION:
UC's pair of center backs, senior Amir Ikner and junior Brad Simpson, form one of the top defensive duos in the BIG EAST. Ikner, a preseason all-BIG EAST selection, has scored two goals - including the game winner against Villanova - and added an assist while Simpson is fifth on the team with six points (1G, 4A). Simpson scored the goal in UC's 1-1 draw at No. 2 Notre Dame. The pair have helped the Bearcats to four straight shutouts.
NEXT UP:
The winner of the UC-DePaul contest will take on the winner of the St. John's-Notre Dame quarterfinal match in the semifinals. The semis and final will take place on Friday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 18, respectively at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium in Storrs, Conn.