TicketsOct. 31, 2008
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision at No. 4/6 St. John's in the regular-season finale on Halloween night at Belson Stadium.
The Bearcats finish the season 7-9-2 overall and 4-6-1 in BIG EAST play. Currently, UC sits in sixth in the Red Division, the last position to make the BIG EAST Tournament. The Bearcats are at 13 points, while Rutgers (11 points) and Syracuse (10 points) trail. Rutgers plays at USF on Saturday and at St. John's on Monday. A win in either match would keep the Bearcats out of the tournament. Syracuse hosts Louisville on Saturday. A win would bring the Orange even with the Bearcats, but UC holds the head-to-head tiebreaker with SU.
In a match nationally-televised on Fox Soccer Channel, the Bearcats gave St. John's (13-1-3, 7-1-2) a run in the first half. In the 31st minute, Branden Stelmak (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) took a pass on the run and struck a low shot the left post. St. John's keeper Neal Kitson was forced to make a diving save to keep the match scoreless. It stayed that way through halftime.
The fourth-ranked Red Storm struck in the 52nd minute off a free kick. After a UC foul, Nelson Becerra lined up a free kick from 35 yards out. His left-footed strike bent perfectly over the wall and just past the outstretched hands of Bearcats goalkeeper Matt Williams (Portland, Maine/Cheverus).
The Red Storm put the match out of reach in the 76th minute when Tafadzwa Chiduku tapped home a deflected cross for his sixth goal of the season.
The Bearcats had won four of five matches and two straight coming in after defeating No. 11/12 USF on Tuesday (Oct. 28). UC played eight nationally-ranked opponents in 2008, holding a 1-6-1 mark in those matches, accounting for two-thirds of the team's losses.
Stay tuned to GoBEARCATS.com for updates on the Bearcats' bid for a 2008 BIG EAST Tournament berth.