TicketsAug. 29, 2008
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The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team opens its 2008 season against rival Xavier on Friday, Aug. 29 at the XU Soccer Complex. The Bearcats and Musketeers will kick off at 7 p.m. UC will then welcome Loyola-Chicago to Gettler Stadium for the home opener on Labor Day, Sept. 1, at 2 p.m.
Head coach Hylton Dayes enters his eighth season as the head coach at Cincinnati, holding a 65-53-19 record. He is 161-138-38 overall in his 19th season as a head coach. Dayes needs eight wins to pass Jim McDowell for second in UC history for coaching victories.
Captain Brad Simpson (Novi, Mich./Novi) is the lone senior on this year's squad. A three-year starter, Simpson has started 54 of 55 career matches at central defender. He is also the top returning point-scorer with six points (1G, 4A).
Goalkeeper Miguel Rosales (Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill) returns for his sophomore campaign after posting a 0.81 goals against average and seven shutouts as a true freshman.
The Bearcats return only 10 letterwinners from the 2007 team and welcome 17 newcomers (15 true freshmen, two transfers) to the roster. Returnees accounted for just four of UC's 27 goals scored in 2007 and 11 of the team's 35 assists.
UC finished its two-match preseason schedule with an 0-2-0 mark. UC dropped a 2-1 decision to Butler on Aug. 17 at Gettler Stadium. Freshman Matt Bahner (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) scored for the Bearcats. UC then fell at Michigan by the same 2-1 score on Aug. 23, with sophomore transfer Chris Mitchell (Ajax, Ontario/SUNY Plattsburg) tallying the lone Bearcats goal.
The Bearcats head to Akron for a two-match weekend tournament on Sept. 5-7. UC will take on UW-Green Bay on Sept. 5 and the host Zips on Sept. 7.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE MUSKETEERS
Xavier posted a 2-0-0 mark in exhibition action, defeating Oakland, 1-0, on Aug. 22 at home and won 2-1 at Rio Grande on Aug. 18. Junior Jake Vollmer tallied the winner against Oakland and senior Jimmy Cummings scored the game-winner against Rio Grande. The Musketeers finished the 2007 season with an 8-10-1 mark. Head coach Dave Schureck, a 1995 graduate of Xavier, enters his fourth season in charge of the Musketeers program. He holds a 19-30-8 record in three seasons at the helm.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RAMBLERS
Loyola was 2-0-0 in preseason play, defeating the University of Chicago, 3-0, on Aug. 21 and topping IUPUI, 1-0, on Aug. 23. Loyola finished the 2007 season at 10-5-4 and won the outright Horizon League title. Junior forward Michael Ferguson returns after earning Loyola's first all-America honor a year ago. In the 2007 season-opener for UC, Ferguson scored a hat trick to lead the Ramblers to a 4-2 win in Chicago. The 2007 Horizon League Coach of the Year, Brandon Eitz enters his fourth season as head coach, compiling a 28-22-8 record in his first three seasons.
The Series
UC holds a 23-8-5 advantage in the rivalry series with Xavier. The Bearcats have won the last three meetings, including last season's 4-0 win at home. UC has squared off against Loyola just once, falling, 4-2 in the 2007 season-opener. Only three players scored in the match as UC's Kenny Anaba tallied both UC goals and Michael Ferguson scored a hat trick for the Ramblers.