TicketsOct. 2, 2008
STORY LINES:
The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team hits the road for a BIG EAST contest at Villanova on Saturday, Oct. 4. The Bearcats and Wildcats will kick off at 1 p.m. from the VU Soccer Complex.
Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his eighth season as the head coach at Cincinnati, holding a 67-58-21 record. He is 163-143-40 overall in his 19th season as a head coach. Dayes needs six 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 63 of 64 career matches at central defender. He scored from the penalty spot against Kentucky on Sept. 13 for his second career goal.
Goalkeeper Matt Williams (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) has posted four shutouts in UC's first nine matches.
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.
Sophomore Branden Stelmak (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) leads the Bearcats with two goals and five points. He scored the game-winner against Xavier in the season opener and tallied his second career goal against No. 7/5 Akron.
UC has played five nationally-ranked teams this season, holding a 0-3-2 record in those matches. UC played No. RV/24 Loyola (Ill.) to a 0-0 draw at Gettler Stadium on Sept. 1 and also drew 0-0 at No. 20/17 Providence on Sept. 21.
UC returns home for a date with rival Louisville on Tuesday, Oct. 7. The Bearcats and Cardinals will kick off at 7 p.m. in Gettler Stadium.
A LOOK AT THE WILDCATS:
Villanova is 4-4-2 after dropping a 3-2 decision at Penn on Sept. 30. The Wildcats are 1-1-2 in BIG EAST play, topping Pittsburgh on the road and playing West Virginia and Georgetown to scoreless draws. Seton Hall handed the Wildcats their only loss in conference play. VU has allowed just eight goals in 10 matches this season, posting five shutouts. Sean Mergenthal leads the team with three goals and six points. Michael Seamon has posted one goal and three assists for five points. he goalkeeping duties have been handled exclusively by Chris Bresnehan, who holds a 0.75 goals against average and has posted five shutouts. Head coach Tom Carlin is in his first year on the bench for the Wildcats.
THE SERIES:
UC and Villanova have squared off three times, with the Bearcats winning all three. The biggest win in the series came when UC knocked off the Wildcats in double overtime at the VU Soccer Complex in 2006, securing a BIG EAST regular season title for the Bearcats. UC has outscored VU, 6-2, in the three meetings.