TicketsOct. 25, 2008
CINCINNATI - On a night when the University of Cincinnati men's soccer team honored its lone senior student-athlete, Brad Simpson (Novi, Mich./Novi) responded with a dominant all-around performance and scored the game-winner in the 68th minute to lead the Bearcats to a crucial 1-0 win against Syracuse on Saturday (Oct. 25) in Gettler Stadium.
Simpson consistently found himself on the end of Bearcats free kicks and corners, and finally capitalized in the 68th minute. Following a hard tackle of Judson McKinney (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) on the near sideline just past midfield, Nick Weightman (Lanark, Scotland/St. Aidan's) served a 40-yard free kick perfectly onto the back post for a waiting Simpson. His header beat SU goalkeeper Robert Cavicchia and sent the Bearcats bench into a frenzy. The celebration carried into the UC United student section after Simpson's fourth goal of the season, which is tied for the team lead.
Simpson also displayed his abilities on the defensive end, winning headers throughout the match and leading a backline that allowed just five shots and only one on goal.
"Our defense has been playing well of late," said head coach Hylton Dayes, whose team posted its eighth shutout and third in the last four matches. "They have played as a cohesive unit and the positioning has been good."
UC outplayed the Orange throughout the first half, dominating the scoring chances. Simpson had a header off a Weightman corner kick cross the face of goal before being cleared over the touchline and McKinney put a wide-open header just over the crossbar.
UC held a 6-2 advantage in shots during the first 45 minutes and finished with an 18-5 edge.
The Bearcats nearly put the match away in the 83rd minute when sophomores Branden Stelmak (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and Mark Konitsch (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence Senior) combined for a golden scoring opportunity. Stelmak received a pass from the defense and flipped a pass on to the foot of a streaking Konitsch down the near sideline. Konitsch sent a cross back into Stelmak at the penalty spot, who dribbled right and drew Cavicchia off his line. His shot beat the keeper, but clanged off the left post and was cleared harmlessly away.
Matt Williams (Portland, Maine/Cheverus), the reigning BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week, was forced to make just one save in securing his eighth clean sheet of the season. He has three shutouts in his last four matches and saw his goals against average drop to 1.09 on the season.
Prior to the match, a senior night ceremony honored Simpson and four-year student manager Andy Frigge.
The Bearcats still have some work to do to secure themselves a place in the BIG EAST Tournament, but back-to-back conference wins against teams ahead of them in the race have done wonders. As it stands, UC would earn the sixth and final spot in the Red Division and participate in the 12-team conference tournament.
The Bearcats remaining schedule has the USF Bulls visiting Gettler Stadium for the regular season home finale on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. UC then travels to St. John's to take on the Red Division-leading Red Storm on Friday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. in a match to be nationally televised by Fox Soccer Channel.