TicketsSept. 27, 2009
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Mark Konitsch (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence Senior) scored his second game-winner of the season to lead the University of Cincinnati men's soccer team to a 1-0 win against No. 21 Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 27) at Alumni Field.
Cincinnati (6-3 overall, 2-2-0 BIG EAST), coming off a heartbreaking, 1-0 loss with five seconds remaining in double overtime against Marquette on Friday, showed its resolve by picking up three big points on the road.
"This was a big win for us. It was a total team effort and I am proud of the way we bounced back after the disappoinment on Friday," said head coach Hylton Dayes. "We defended well against an explosive Notre Dame team that scored four goals against Louisville on Friday. We played well in the first half and we made Mark Konitsch's goal early in the second half stand up for the win."
Konitsch scored his third of the season in the 50th minute. Nick Weightman (Lanark, Scotland/Webber International) won the ball in the Notre Dame (4-4-1, 2-2-0) end and found a streaking Konitsch, who beat Irish keeper Andrew Quinn for the 1-0 lead.
The UC defense tightened and goalkeeper Matt Williams (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) made four saves to post his second shutout of the season. He allowed just one goal in 200 minutes of action this weekend.
The Bearcats now lead the all-time series against Notre Dame, 5-4-2. UC is 3-1-1 against the Irish since joining the BIG EAST in 2005, and is 2-0-1 in South Bend during that same span.
Weightman leads the team with 10 points (3 G, 4 A), and recorded his first point since scoring the game-winner against Western Illinois on Sept. 11.
The Bearcats will step out of conference play and welcome crosstown rival Xavier to Gettler Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.