TicketsAug. 20, 2010
CINCINNATI - Emily Hebbeler (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) scored a goal in each half of the University of Cincinnati women's soccer season opener against Morehead State on Friday night at Gettler Stadium, leading the Bearcats to a 2-1 victory.
Hebbeler's game-winner came in the 84th minute. Teammate Evi Ranson (Golden, Colo./Ralston Valley) headed a shot that Morehead State's goalkeeper, Lily Meisner, saved and Hebbeler sprinted to pick up the rebound and flick it into the net.
"Obviously, Emily Hebbeler did what she does best, which is finish," said head coach Michelle Salmon. "Her in and around the goal is really good for us. I'm proud of the way our girls played tonight."
Morehead State got on the scoreboard first after a miscue on the Cincinnati defense. Erin Adams found the back of the net in the fifth minute, giving the Eagles a 1-0 advantage. Cincinnati continued to apply pressure and scored the equalizer in the 34th minute. Hebbeler picked up a loose ball from a broken play, turned and fired a shot into the left side of the net.
Morehead State held a 4-1 lead on corner kicks at the half and edged the Bearcats in shots, 6-5.
It was a different story in the second half. The Bearcats were aggressive and persistent, finishing with a 13-2 advantage in shots. The Eagles did not take a shot for the first 13 minutes of the half and in the 80th minute Cincinnati nearly scored on a set piece. Kelli Pawelko (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) drilled a shot that Meisner saved and Alexis Scott (Duluth, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) nearly edged the rebound over the goal line.
"After being tied at the half and not really playing that well I thought the second half we came out and had a dominating performance," said Salmon. "We only let them have two shots in the second half and that is a tribute to how well Erin Kaufman (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) and Kay Young (Doylestown, Ohio/Chippewa) played.
"With all the new faces we have it's going to take a little while for us to click but I'm glad we fought through this and we'll have to start preparing for a very good Bowling Green team," noted Salmon.
Cincinnati's Rachel Barnette (Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh) earned the win in goal, saving three.
The Bearcats will play at Bowling Green next, on Sunday, Aug. 22, in a 1 p.m. match.