TicketsSept. 11, 2008
STory lines
The Bearcats play their third straight road match on Friday, Sept. 12 when they face Xavier University at the Xavier University Soccer Complex for a 5:30 p.m. tilt. UC is coming off a tough 1-0 loss at Dayton while the Musketeers have lost their first three contests, most recently falling to Loyola (Ill.), 6-1.
The Bearcats were shut out for the first time since the 2007 season in the 1-0 loss at Dayton. In the second half, UC surged but was unable to connect, with a near goal by Melissa Bigg (Limehouse, Ont./Acton) on a direct kick and a header that just missed by Julie Morrissey (Abington, Mass./Tabor Academy) off a cross from Erin MacDonald (St. Catharine's, Ont./West Park Secondary).
Sophomore forward Kendall Loggins (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) scored the game-winning goal in the final minute of overtime at Miami (OH) (Sept. 5). Prior to the goal, Loggins provided an assist in the first half against the RedHawks. Loggins, who has come off the bench for UC, has five points this season (2G, 1A).
Junior forward Erin MacDonald leads Cincinnati with seven points (2G, 3A). MacDonald notched a goal and provided the assist on UC's game-winning goal at Miami (OH) (Sept. 5) in overtime.
Senior midfielder Jenn Johannigman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) has five points this season (2G, 1A), scoring her first goal since her freshman campaign against Wright State (Aug. 24) and putting away the game-winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Michigan (Aug. 29). She earned a BIG EAST Honor Roll selection for the week of Sept. 1.
Freshman forward Julie Morrissey has been stellar in her first six games at UC. Morrissey knocked home the game-winning goal against Bowling Green (Aug. 22) and she scored a goal and notched an assist at Miami (OH) (Sept. 5).
Defenders Kim Sykes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore), Heather Neiser (Batavia, Ohio/St. Ursula) and Lindsey Noteboom (Hurst, Texas/Birdville) have a combined 155 games started to anchor the back line for Cincinnati. Sykes (59 games) and Neiser (41) have started every match of their Cincinnati career and Noteboom (57) has started all but two games.
Goalkeeper Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) has a 1.41 goals-against average this season and owns a 3-2 win-loss record. Kaminski has started every game in goal in 2008 and has played every half but one, saving 19 shots.
A QUICK LOOK AT XU
The Musketeers are coached by Alvin Alexander, who is in his fourth season as a head coach at Xavier, and owns a 20-34-5 overall record. The Musketeers are led by freshman Jessica Brooks, who has scored XU's only goal so far this season. Junior Kelly Farrell has started all three games in goal for Xavier.
THe serieS
The Bearcats are 20-5-0 against Xavier, with the most recent meeting in 2007 ending in a 2-1 double overtime victory for UC. Last year's game was the sixth time the two teams have met in the season opener and snapped a two-game losing skid vs. Xavier. The series dates back to 1982, when Cincinnati earned an 3-0 win over Xavier's club team. UC began the series with eight straight wins before losing, 2-1, at Xavier in 1990. Cincinnati scored six goals in the 1985 match, but has only managed four goals in its last three contests against the Musketeers. Last season Lindsey Noteboom scored the game-winner in the second overtime while Logan Ballinger tied the game in the second half with her first goal as a Bearcat.
08 CaptainS
First-year head coach Michelle Salmon named seniors Kim Sykes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) and Lindsey Noteboom (Hurst, Texas/Birdville) and junior Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) team captains for the 2008 season.
HOT HALF
Through six games, the Bearcats have scored eight of their 10 goals in the first half and 53 of their 99 shots this season have happened in the first period. In 2007, it took the Bearcats nine games to tally 90 shots.