TicketsSept. 1, 2008
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The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team continues its 2008 home stand with a match against Southeastern Conference opponent Kentucky on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008, set for a 7 p.m. start.
First-year head coach Michelle Salmon recorded her first win as the Bearcats' mentor against a familiar foe in Mid-American Conference affiliate BGSU. Salmon spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Ball State, where she led the Cardinals to back-to-back MAC championships.
SeniorJenn Johannigman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) is off to a hot start in her senior year, scoring her first goal since her freshman season against Wright State and notching the game-winning goal against Michigan. Johannigman leads the team with five points (2G, 1A) and has scored on 50 percent of her shots on goal.
Freshman Julie Morrissey (Abington, Mass./Tabor Academy) has raced out to a fast start totaling three points (1 G, 1 A) in her first three collegiate matches at Cincinnati. The Abington, Mass., native was credited with the game-winning goal in the 3-1 defeat of Bowling Green.
Defenders Kim Sykes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) and Heather Neiser (Batavia, Ohio/St. Ursula) each continued their games played streak, starting 57 and 39 games respectively. Each has manned the back line for every match of their Cincinnati career. In addition, Neiser notched her first career goal in the 3-1 victory over Bowling Green.
The Bearcats will be attempting to win their third game in four tries. The last time UC won three of it first four matches was 2002 when the Bearcats finished the season 17-4-3 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Cincinnati will hit the road for the next three weeks, taking on Miami (OH), Dayton, Xavier, Louisville, and DePaul. The Bearcats will play Miami on Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. while Louisville will serve as UC's first BIG EAST opponent in 2008, set for Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE WILDCATS
Kentucky is coached by Warren Lipka who is in his 18th season at UK ... the Wildcats are searching for their first win of 2008 after dropping their season opener last week to 8th ranked Texas, 3-1 ... UK is led offensively in the young season by sophomore Laura Novikoff, who tallied UK's lone goal against the Longhorns, while junior defender Julie Hull recorded Kentucky's lone assist ... Kentucky was picked to finish fifth in the East Division of the 2008 Preseason SEC Coaches Poll.
THE SERIES
The Bearcats are 6-6-1 against Kentucky and have not lost to the Wildcats since the 2004 season ... the Bearcats defeated Kentucky, 1-0, in 2006 and played to a 2-2 double overtime draw in 2005 ... the Wildcats last earned a victory against UC in 2004, winning 3-0 ... The UC-UK series began in 1992 with Cincinnati winning, 2-1.
BIG EAST NEWS
Notre Dame senior defender Carrie Dew and St. John's freshman goalkeeper Kristin Russell have earned league honors for the second consecutive week as Dew was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week and Russell was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week (9-1). Rutgers junior Caycie Gusman earned BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors while Georgetown freshman Samantha Baker was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week.