TicketsOct. 5, 2008
CINCINNATI - Brittney Hansen (Toledo, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) scored the game-winning goal in the 58th minute, giving the University of Cincinnati (6-5-1, 2-2-1 BIG EAST) women's soccer team a 2-1 victory over the University of Connecticut (3-7-3, 1-2-2 BIG EAST) on Sunday afternoon at Gettler Stadium. The win was UC's first over UConn in the history of the series, the first BIG EAST win at home in 2008, and Hansen's first career goal.
"We had a complete team effort today," said first-year head coach Michelle Salmon. "We have been playing great soccer all year and it's only fitting that today we came out and actually got the result. I thought we played well today in every position. There wasn't one player that didn't step up in big moments. We have been emphasizing that all week in practice. We keep saying that good players show up, great players step up, and today the entire team stepped up."
The Bearcats got on the board in the 44th minute when Melissa Bigg (Limehouse, Ontario/Acton) took UC's first penalty kick of the season after Lindsey Noteboom (Hurst, Texas/Birdville) was taken down in the box. Bigg calmly placed a low shot to the left of UConn's keeper, Stephanie Labbe, who dove right.
UC got the game-winning goal from Hansen in the 58th minute when she took a pass on the right side from Kristin May (Hudson, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit), dribbled once and flicked it with her left foot to the left side of the goal.
Connecticut put a goal on the scoreboard in the 75th minute when Brittany Tegeler took a pass from Elizabeth Eng on the left side and knocked a line drive to the left side of the goal past UC's Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville).
Kaminski earned the win in goal and finished with six saves. The Bearcats were outshot by the Huskies, 14-11 and UConn held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Cincinnati plays its next four matches on the road before returning to Gettler Stadium on Oct. 24. The Bearcats visit Seton Hall next, on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.