TicketsOct. 30, 2008
Game Notes | |
STORY LINES
The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team will wrap up the 2008 regular season on Friday, Oct. 31, at St. John's in an 8 p.m. match nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel. Dean Linke will call the play-by-play while former Georgetown head coach Keith Tabatznik will provide analysis.
With four wins in the last five matches, the Bearcats have moved into the sixth position in the BIG EAST Red Division, the last position to qualify for the BIG EAST Tournament. In a muddled race, a win for UC would go a long way toward clinching a spot in the tournament for the fourth straight season.
The Bearcats last trip to Belson Stadium was an historic one, as UC knocked off the No. 17 Red Storm, 2-1. It was just the 12th home loss (108-12-21) for the Red Storm since Dave Masur took over as head coach in 1991 and just the fifth loss at Belson Stadium (30-5-9), which was built in 2002.
UC finished 4-4-1 at home this season, winning its final four home contests, after posting a combined 18-5-2 mark at Gettler Stadium over the prior three seasons. In 2007, UC was 7-1-0 at home and outscored opponents, 17-3.
Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his eighth season as the head coach at Cincinnati, holding a 72-61-22 record. He is 168-146-41 overall in his 19th season as a head coach. Dayes is tied with Jim McDowell for second in UC history for coaching victories and can move into sole possession of second place with victory No. 73 against the Red Storm.
Captain Brad Simpson (Novi, Mich./Novi) is the lone senior on this year's squad. A four-year starter, Simpson has started 61-of-62 career matches at central defender. He is tied for the team lead with four goals, including game-winners against Villanova on Oct. 4 and Syracuse on Senior Night on Oct. 25. He was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against Villanova.
Sophomore Branden Stelmak (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) scored the game-winner against Alabama A&M and followed that with the game-winner against Rutgers. He also tallied the winner earlier this season at Xavier, his first career goal. He leads the squad with nine points (4 G, 1 A). Stelmak was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll for his efforts against AAMU and Rutgers and earned a spot on the CollegeSoccerNews.com National Team of the Week.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Matt Williams (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) has posted nine shutouts this season and holds a 1.03 goals against average with 60 saves. He was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week after posting shutouts against Alabama A&M and Rutgers last week, while assisting on the game-winner against AAMU. His nine shutouts are already good enough for eighth in the school's career records book. He ranks third in the BIG EAST in shutouts and sixth in saves.
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.
LAST TIME OUT
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RED STORM
St. John's enters the match ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation, holding a 12-1-3 mark overall and a 6-1-2 record in conference play. The Red Storm lead the BIG EAST in goals allowed (7), goals against average (0.42), and shutouts (11), and rank second in goals scored (26) and third in points (74). St. John's is a perfect 7-0-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents, 16-3. Nelson Bacerra and Tafadzwa Chiduku lead the Red Storm with five goals apiece, with Becerra (14 points) leading the squad in points. Neal Kitson has posted 10 shutouts this season and ranks second in the BIG EAST with a 0.39 goals against average.
THE SERIES
The Bearcats have played tradition-rich St. John's just three times, all since joining the BIG EAST in 2005. The first meeting (Oct. 8, 2005) took place in Gettler Stadium and was marred by a red card awarded to redshirt freshman Brad Simpson in the fifth minute, which aided St. John's in a 1-0 Red Storm win against the No. 17 Bearcats. The following season, UC knocked off the No. 17 Red Storm, 2-1, in Belson Stadium, just the 12th loss for St. John's at home since 1991. Last season, St. John's topped the Bearcats, 2-0, UC's only loss of the season at Gettler Stadium.
RANK AND ROLL
The Bearcats have squared off against eight nationally-ranked opponents thus far in 2008. The young team that features 15 freshman and 17 newcomers has posted a 1-5-2 mark against ranked foes. UC played No. 24/rv Loyola Chicago and No. 20/17 Providence to scoreless draws and defeated No. 11/12 USF, 1-0. The losses came against No. 7/5 Akron on the road (2-1), No. 7/4 Connecticut on the road (2-1), No. 3/3 Notre Dame at home (3-0), No. 8/7 Louisville at home (2-1, ot), and No. 24/rv Michigan State (2-0) on the road.
BIG EAST HONORS
Brad Simpson was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 6. In UC's 1-0 win at Villanova on Oct. 4, Simpson netted the game-winning goal and helped preserve the Bearcats' fifth shutout of the season from his central defensive position. Matt Williams was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 20 after posting a pair of shutouts, six saves, and assisting on a game-winning goal in two Bearcats wins. Branden Stelmak earned a spot on the league's honor roll on Oct. 20 after scoring game-winners in UC wins against Alabama A&M and Rutgers. Stelmak was also named to the CollegeSoccerNews.com National Team of the Week for his accomplishments.