TicketsSept. 17, 2009
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The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team begins BIG EAST Conference action as it takes on the University of Louisville at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, at Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats will then play the University of Akron on Sunday, Sept. 20 at Gettler Stadium in a 3:30 p.m. match. Both games will take place after the UC men's soccer team plays Pittsburgh and West Virginia, respectively.
Cincinnati looks to snap a six-game losing skid and continue its winning ways when they take on Louisville. The Bearcats last defeated the Cardinals on Oct. 31, 2002 with a 3-0 shutout at home. The Bearcats (4-3) are coming off a 3-2 victory at Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, Sept. 13. Julie Morrissey (Abington, Mass./Tabor Academy) scored the game-winner with 89:57 on the scoreboard.
UC earned a 4-0 victory over Xavier on Friday, Sept. 10, racking up the most goals in a game since Sept. 23, 2007, when Cincinnati defeated Cleveland State, 4-1. The Bearcats improved to 20-9-1 overall in home openers with the victory.
Julie Morrissey was named the BIG EAST Conference Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 14) and was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week after her nine-point, four-goal effort in a 2-0-0 week for Cincinnati, scoring the game-winners in both games. In a 4-0 win over city rival Xavier on Sept. 10, she netted two goals, including one score in the 6th minute of the contest. She had two goals and an assist in a 3-2 win at Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 13, including the game-winner with three seconds left in regulation. Morrissey is the first Cincinnati women's soccer player to earn BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors since UC joined the league in 2005.
Cincinnati has scored 10 of its 11 goals in the first half this season. The Bearcats have taken more corner kicks in the second half (22-to-13), taken more shots in the second half (40-to-39), and given up more goals in the second half (7-to-3).
The last time Cincinnati played five or more road games to start the season came in 1986 when the Bearcats played their first seven games away from campus. Cincinnati finished the 1986 season 13-3-1 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
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.
Junior Sydney Barker (Roswell, Ga./Roswell), seniors Melissa Bigg (Limehouse, Ont./Acton), Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) and Erin MacDonald (St. Catharine's, Ontario/West Park Secondary) will serve as the 2009 team captains.
Logan Ballinger (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) suffered a season-ending injury in UC's match against South Carolina on Sunday, Sept. 6, in the Courtyard by Marriott Airport Cardinal Classic. Ballinger, a junior defender, scored one goal and recorded an assist in 2009.
Two University of Cincinnati players were named to the 2009 Courtyard by Marriott Airport Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team. Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville), who recorded 16 saves over the course of the tournament, and freshman defender Brooke Eberly (Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) were tabbed as all-tourney performers.
Julie Morrissey started the scoring against Xavier in the sixth minute when she took a feed from Heather Neiser (Batavia, Ohio/St. Ursula) and Melissa Bigg and scored on the run into the left side of the net. Emily Hebbeler (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) entered the game in the 14th minute and found the back of the net in the 19th minute, receiving a pass from Brooke Eberly and knocking a rocket right-to-left 16 yards out past Xavier's goalkeeper. Erin MacDonald set up the next two goals, providing Kendall Loggins (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) a cross from the right side that she was able to knock in - while in the air - and dishing off to Hebbeler who set up a streaking Morrissey in the 33rd minute for her second goal.
South Carolina outshot UC, 22-10, and held a 7-2 advantage on corner kicks on its way to a 4-0 victory over Cincinnati. Andrea Kaminski recorded nine saves in goal for the Bearcats. The Gamecocks were ranked No. 2 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) South region.
Logan Ballinger scored an unassisted goal in the 16th minute to lead Cincinnati to a 1-0 victory over Saint Louis. Andrea Kaminski recorded seven saves and earned her 12th career shutout, moving into a tie for seventh place in UC's career record book for shutouts.
Melissa Bigg took five shots for Cincinnati, which out shot Northeastern 15-13 for the game, but UC was unable to overcome two first-half goals by the Huskies on Sunday, Aug. 30.
The Bearcats earned a 2-0 victory at Ohio University on Sunday, Aug. 23. Emily Hebbeler took a pass from Logan Ballinger 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.
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, scored UC's only goal.
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 play next Friday, Sept. 25, when they take on Notre Dame in a BIG EAST Conference match. UC will battle the No. 14 team in the country at 7 p.m. in Gettler Stadium. They will then hit the road to play a BIG EAST match at DePaul on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.
QUICK LOOK AT THE CARDINALS
The Cardinals are coached by Karen Ferguson-Dayes, who is in her 10th season as a head coach at Louisville and owns a 77-85-15 overall record. Her 2009 squad returns two 13-point scorers from a season ago in senior Lindsay Boling (6G, 1A) and sophomore Giselle Mangal (5G, 3A). Through six games this season, the Cardinals are 2-3-0 and are lead in points by Mangal and junior Caitlin Rehder, who each have three points (1G, 1A each).
CINCINNATI-LOUISVILLE SERIES
The Bearcats are 17-7-1 against Louisville, with the most recent meeting in 2008 ending in a 3-0 loss for UC. Last year's game was the sixth straight loss for the Bearcats against Louisville, with the last victory coming for UC in 2002, a 3-0 win. From 1997-2002 the Bearcats dominated the series with a 6-0 record and +19 goal differential (20 goals scored, one goal allowed).
QUICK LOOK AT THE ZIPS
The Zips are coached by first-year head coach Chris Pfau. Previously, Pfau coached at Evansville where he compiled a 30-22-4 record in three seasons. His 2009 squad returns 2008 leading scorer Britni Back who totaled 20 points in 2008, including eight goals and four assists. Sophomore forward Rachel Phillip leads the Zips this year with five points (2G, 1A). Through six games this season, the Zips are 2-2-1 with victories over Wright State and Morehead State. Akron is a member of the Mid-American Conference and is looking to snap a 3-game winless streak.
CINCINNATI-AKRON SERIES
The match is the first meeting between the schools.