TicketsSept. 24, 2009
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The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team hosts No. 12/14 Notre Dame on Friday, Sept. 25 at Gettler Stadium in a 7 p.m. match. Fans are encouraged to wear white in an attempt to WHITE OUT Gettler Stadium. After the match against Notre Dame, UC will travel to Chicago, Ill. to play DePaul in a 2 p.m. (Eastern) match at Wish Field. Both matches are part of BIG EAST Conference division play with the results shaping the current standings (Georgetown, Rutgers, UC, and Notre Dame at 1-0-0). Cincinnati is currently riding a four-game win streak and is unbeaten at Gettler Stadium in 2009.
Erin MacDonald (St. Catharine's, Ont./West Park Secondary) dribbled around the University of Akron goalkeeper and scored the game-winning goal to lead UC to a 2-1 non-conference win over the Zips at Gettler Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 20. Akron jumped out to an early 1-0 lead but Emily Hebbeler (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) shot a high ball into the far side of the goal off a corner kick with 24:40 remaining in the first period to tie the game. The Bearcats were outshot for the game, 14-13, including a 10-5 shot advantage by Akron in the second period, but MacDonald calmly struck the ball into the open net to give UC the win with 18:49 left in the game. It was the senior's first goal of 2009.
Sydney Barker (Roswell, Ga./Roswell) headed in the game-winning goal leading UC to a 2-0 shutout victory over the University of Louisville in a BIG EAST match at Gettler Stadiumon Friday, Sept. 18. Cincinnati won its first BIG EAST season opener since joining the league and snapped a six-year losing streak against the Cardinals with the win. The game remained scoreless until the 49:05 mark in the second half when Barker headed in her first goal of 2009 off a corner kick from Melissa Bigg (Limehouse, Ont./Acton). UC sealed the win when Erin MacDonald struck a perfect cross from the right side to a streaking Kendall Loggins (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) who hit the back of the net in stride with 72:24 on the clock.
Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) is tops in the BIG EAST with her 43 saves this season and has the most saves in a league contest in 2009 (11 vs. Louisville on Sept. 18). As a team the Bearcats lead the BIG EAST with 50 saves and individually, Melissa Bigg and Erin MacDonald are tied for second and fifth with five and four assists, respectively, so far this season.
Senior goalkeeper Andrea Kaminski was named the BIG EAST Conference Goalkeeper of the Week the league announced on Sept. 21. It is the fourth BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week award in her career, earning the weekly honor on Oct. 13, 2008, Oct. 22, 2007 and Aug. 28, 2006. Kaminski earned the honor following a 2-0-0 week for the Bearcats. The senior totaled 19 saves, including a shutout in the two wins. In a 2-0 win over conference rival Louisville on Sept. 18, Kaminski made 11 saves and helped Cincinnati snap a six-year losing streak against the Cardinals. She also made eight saves in a rain-soaked, 2-1 win over Akron on Sept. 20.
Junior Sydney Barker, seniors Melissa Bigg, Andrea Kaminski and Erin MacDonald will serve as the 2009 team captains.
The Bearcats earned 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. Morrissey contributed a header off a corner kick and Kendall Loggins found the back of the net off a corner for UC's other goals against the Colonels.
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 11 of its 15 goals in the first half this season. The Bearcats have taken more corner kicks in the second half (25-to-20), taken more shots in the second half (52-to-51), and given up more goals in the second half (7-to-4).
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.
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, 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 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 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 on Sept. 6. 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 on Sept. 4. 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 hit the road for its next four games, playing at Syracuse on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. and at St. John's on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. Both matches are against American Division opponents in the BIG EAST Conference.
QUICK LOOK AT THE FIGHTING IRISH
The Fighting Irish are coached by Randy Waldrum, who is in his 11th season at Notre Dame, and owns a 216-33-8 record. Last season the Irish won the Big East Conference with an 11-0 record in conference play and an overall record of 26-1. The Irish were National runners up, losing the national championship game to the University of North Carolina, 2-1. They finished the 2008 season ranked 2nd in the country and are currently ranked No. 12 by Soccer America and No. 14 in the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings. Key players for the Irish include sophomore Melissa Henderson (5G, 1A), junior Rose Augustin (3G, 2A), and senior goalkeeper Kelsey Lysander (1.24 GAA, 19 saves). Notre Dame has won its last two games, defeating DePaul, 4-0, and Northwestern, 2-0.
CINCINNATI-NOTRE DAME SERIES
The Bearcats are 1-9-1 against Notre Dame, with the most recent regular-season meeting in 2008 ending in a 6-0 loss for UC. The two teams also squared off in the Big East Tournament and Notre Dame eliminated the Bearcats with a 5-0 defeat. The Bearcats lone victory against the Irish came during the 2001 NCAA Tournament second round, with a 3-2 victory for the Bearcats. The victory over the Irish that season capped off a season in which the Bearcats set a school record in victories with 20.
QUICK LOOK AT THE BLUE DEMONS
The Blue Demons are coached by Erin Chastain, who is in her third season as a head coach at DePaul, and owns a 12-31-3 overall record. The Blue Demons did not lose until their fifth game of the season, including a 1-0 defeat of No. 11 Missouri, and have already surpassed their win total from 2008 (four games). Junior midfielder Tara Strickland, who totaled seven points for the Blue Demons last season, returns for DePaul and has a team-high nine points (4G, 1A). Claire Hanold handles the goalkeeping duties for the Blue Demons and owns a 1.05 GAA.
CINCINNATI-DE PAUL SERIES
The Bearcats are 11-1-1 against DePaul, with the most recent meeting in 2008 ending in a 2-1 victory for UC. Last year the Bearcats jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and held on for a 2-1 win at Wish Field. The only series victory for DePaul came in 2007 when they defeated the Bearcats 2-1 in double overtime at Gettler Stadium.