TicketsAug. 29, 2009
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The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team continues its season-opening, five-game road trip on Sunday, Aug. 30 at at 1 p.m. at Northeastern University. It is the first time UC has played Northeastern in women's soccer. The Bearcats are coming off a 2-0 victory at Ohio University last Sunday (Aug. 23). Emily Hebbeler (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) scored the game-winning goal against the Bobcats and has scored in each of UC's games so far this season.
Head coach Michelle Salmon, now in her second season at UC, guided the Bearcats to their best season since 2002, finishing the 2008 slate with a 10-7-3 overall record and advancing to the quarterfinal round of the BIG EAST Conference Championship.
UC scored in the 14th minute and maintained a 1-0 lead into halftime in its season opener vs. Kentucky on Aug. 21. The Wildcats bounced back in the second half, scoring two goals and winning, 2-1. Emily Hebbeler, assisted by Melissa Bigg (Limehouse, Ont./Acton), scored UC's only goal.
At Ohio, Emily Hebbeler took a pass from Logan Ballinger (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) in the 22nd minute and scored UC's first goal while Melissa Bigg followed up with a penalty kick in the 27th minute to give the Bearcats the 2-0 shutout win. Junior transfer Rachel Barnette (Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh) earned her first win in goal and had two saves for UC.
Junior Sydney Barker (Roswell, Ga./Roswell), seniors Melissa Bigg, Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) and Erin MacDonald (St. Catharine's, Ont./West Park Secondary) will serve as the 2009 team captains.
UC returns seven starters and 14 letterwinners from the 2008 team that finished the season with a 10-7-3 overall record, its best record since the 2002 season. The Bearcats added eight talented newcomers to the 2009 roster and look to build on last year's success, which included qualifying for the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time in program history.
Emily Hebbeler was named to the Honor Roll in the first BIG EAST women's soccer weekly awards of 2009. Hebbeler became the first player since 2005 to contribute on UC's first two goals of a season (last, Kim Sykes, 2005, assist and goal) and the first UC player to score two goals in two games since Jenn Johannigman scored back-to-back goals against Wright State and Michigan in 2008.
Cincinnati will stay on the road after stopping in Boston this weekend. The Bearcats will play in the Louisville Cardinal Invitational over Labor Day weekend, beginning with a 5 p.m. match against Saint Louis on Friday, Sept. 4 and finishing up with an 11 a.m. match against South Carolina on Sunday, Sept. 5.
The Huskies are coached by Ed Matz, who is in his 10th season as head coach at Northeastern. In his tenure with the Huskies, nine seasons with the men and 10 seasons with the women's team, he has compiled a 161-161-38 record.
The Huskies return sophomore Veronica Napoli, who was named third team All-American as a freshman after totaling 29 points (12G, 5A). The Huskies are coming off a Colonial Athletic Association Tournament title and NCAA second-round appearance. The Huskies opened the 2009 season with a 3-0 victory as host to Longwood on Friday night.