TicketsApril 19, 2010
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team provided a special night for local soccer fans on Saturday evening at Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats, in conjunction with their opponent Vanderbilt, put on a youth clinic for over 200 participants prior to their game, which UC won, 3-0.
"Overall this was a great night for soccer," said head coach Michelle Salmon. "I would like to thank the Vanderbilt staff and players for being a part of such a wonderful event. I truly believe that it is our responsibility as coaches and players to give back to the game that has been so generous to us. Tonight is a great example of this commitment."
Cincinnati controlled the fast-paced tempo from the start of the game. In the 26th minute Kendall Loggins found the back of the net on a perfectly served ball from Emily Hebbeler off a corner kick. It was Cincinnati's fifth corner of the game. Cincinnati continued to press in the first half, searching for the second goal and both Hebbeler and Kaylee Dakers rang the crossbar in the final five minutes of the half. Cincinnati led at intermission, 1-0.
The second half was much of the same, with Cincinnati controlling the tempo and pace of the game. In the 67th minute, off another corner kick, Katie Johnson connected for her first goal of the spring. After the initial shot by Cincinnati was cleared by the Vanderbilt defense, Johnson hammered a half-volley from 30 yards out that found the back of the net for UC's second goal of the night. In the 86th minute, Vanderbilt mounted an attack where Candace West was able to get in behind, but UC's goalkeeper, Ashley Daniels, was there to make the stop. It was her only save of the second half. Cincinnati finished the scoring in the 90th minute with Hebbeler scoring her third goal of the spring on a great combination play with Erin Kaufman.
"Tonight we had a complete team effort," said Salmon. "We continue to improve and tonight against a very good Vanderbilt team we played within ourselves and accomplished the goals we had set forth. I am proud of the way we defended tonight, not just in the back with Logan Ballinger, Kay Young, Brooke Eberly and Kelli Pawelko which was very good, but as a team. I saw some great soccer tonight; I thought Julie Morrissey did a great job in the midfield playing both sides of the ball and the front three clicked all night."
UC will play next on Friday, April 23 at Gettler Stadium when the Bearcats take on Dayton at 7 p.m. UC's final home game of the spring season is on Saturday, April 24 when Cincinnati hosts alumni in the Alumni game at 2 p.m. Cincinnati will close out the spring season with a 2:30 game on Saturday, May 1, at Ohio State.
"I continue to say we are turning a corner as a program," said Salmon. "The consistency that we are playing with is the biggest improvement we have had as a team. The professionalism that our players are exhibiting in the classroom, weight room and in the community is certainly carrying over to the field. Right now, where we are this spring, I am very impressed with the maturity of our team, when you play as many freshman and sophomores as we did last fall you can see the benefits in their growth as players."