TicketsOct. 2, 2009
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The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team continues it's five-game, midseason road swing by visiting Syracuse and Queens, N.Y. the weekend of Oct. 2-4. The Bearcats visit the Orange on Friday, Oct. 2 in a 7 p.m. match and travel to Belson Stadium for the second straight year to take on No. 12/17 St. John's in a 1 p.m. match on Sunday, Oct. 4.
After rattling off four straight wins, UC is now amidst a two-game losing skid with losses to then No. 12/14 Notre Dame on Friday, Sept. 25, and to DePaul on Sunday, Sept. 27.
UC's games versus Syracuse and St. John's are against members of the National Division of the BIG EAST Conference. St. John's is currently ranked No. 1 in the National Division, No. 12 nationally by SoccerAmerica, and No. 17 nationally by the NSCAA, while Syracuse is ranked No. 6 in the standings. UC is sitting in sixth place of the American Division.
Cincinnati lost, 1-0, in a BIG EAST Conference match at DePaul on Sunday, Sept. 27 at Wish Field. UC took one shot against the Blue Demons for the game. Andrea Kaminski (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) had several crucial stops for the Bearcats in goal and finished with seven saves.
Andrea Kaminski made a season-high 13 saves and UC held No. 12/14 Notre Dame scoreless for 77 minutes in a hard-fought, 2-1 loss in BIG EAST Conference action on Friday, Sept. 25 at Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats put the first point on the scoreboard when Emily Hebbeler (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) took a lob pass from Julie Morrissey (Abington, Mass./Tabor Academy) just two minutes after she entered the match and floated a goal past the Notre Dame goalkeeper at the 75:56 mark. Notre Dame responded with a goal less than two minutes later and got the game-winning goal with eight minutes left in the match. Notre Dame outshot UC, 24-4.
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 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.
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 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 stays on the road for the last two matches of a five-match road swing, playing at Villanova on Friday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. and taking on Georgetown on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m.
QUICK LOOK AT THE ORANGE
The Orange is coached by Phil Wheddon, who is in his second season as a head coach at Syracuse, and owns a 9-15-5 overall record. Despite the number of losses in 2008, the Orange was able to hold their own at home, with a 5-3-2 record at SU Soccer Stadium. The Orange return junior forward Megan Bellingham who totaled 17 points last season (8G, 1A) and are led this season by freshman midfielder Tina Romagnuolo, who has a team-high five goals. Syracuse opened its season with back-to-back losses but bounced back with a tie and three victories. The Orange are one win away from their win total of 2008.
CINCINNATI-SYRACUSE SERIES
The Bearcats are 0-0-1 all time against Syracuse, with their only meeting, in 2006, ending in a scoreless tie. The first meeting between the BIG EAST foes, Cincinnati fired 10 shots on goal, while the Orange were only able to put three on frame.
QUICK LOOK AT THE RED STORM
The Red Storm are coached by Ian Stone, who is in his 16th season as a head coach at St. John's, and owns a 144-117-33 record at St. John's. The Red Storm return junior forward Jen Leaverton who totaled 7 points last season (3G, 1A) and are led this season by senior midfielder C.J. Ludemann who has racked up a team-high nine points on two goals and five assists. The Red Storm are riding a six game unbeaten streak and have reached their highest ranking in program history. STJ hosts Louisville on Friday, Oct. 2.
CINCINNATI-ST. JOHN'S SERIES
The Bearcats are 1-1-0 against St. Johns, with the most recent meeting occuring on Oct. 30, 2008 in the first round of the BIG EAST Championship. The Red Storm hosted the Bearcats and Julie Morrissey's goal in the 56th minute proved to be the game-winner with UC advancing to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory.