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Bearcats Host No. 2/7 Louisville in Battle of BIG EAST Unbeatens

Bearcats Host No. 2/7 Louisville in Battle of BIG EAST UnbeatensBearcats Host No. 2/7 Louisville in Battle of BIG EAST Unbeatens

Oct. 13, 2010

Game Notes | |

The Game:

  • The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team will look to stay undefeated in BIG EAST play when it welcomes No. 2/7 Louisville on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
  • The Bearcats and rival Cardinals will kick off at 7:00 p.m. in Gettler Stadium with first place in the BIG EAST Red Division on the line.
  • UC is facing its second straight nationally-ranked opponent of the season, having defeated No. 22 St. John's in Queens, N.Y., on Oct. 9.

Series History:

  • The Bearcats lead the series, 21-12-2, but have lost three straight against the Cardinals.
  • UC is 12-3-1 against the Cardinals at home.
  • The two teams have faced each other as members of the Metro Conference, Conference USA, and now the BIG EAST.

Story Lines:

  • Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his 10th season at Cincinnati and 20th as a head coach. Dayes holds a 84-76-25 mark at UC and a 180-161-44 overall record.
  • Dayes is the second winningest coach in UC history, behind only Bob Muro, who posted a 114-111-13 mark in 12 seasons on the Bearcats sideline.
  • UC is ranked fifth in the nation in goals-against average. The Bearcats have allowed just five goals through the first 11 matches of the season and hold a 0.43 GAA.
  • The Bearcats had their shutout streak of three matches and 383 minutes snapped at Michigan on Oct. 6. UC had not conceded a goal since the 13th minute against No. 1/1 Akron on Sept. 19.
  • Senior goalkeeper Matt Williams is fifth in the nation in goals-against average (0.43) and 12th in save percentage (.872).
  • Williams posted his 16th career shutout against Xavier on Sept. 29, moving into sole possession of second place on UC's all-time shutout list. He now has 18 shutouts and trails only Jay Schneider (24) in the school record books.
  • Freshman defender Alex Hadley was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week on Oct. 4 after scoring the game-winning goal against Rutgers and contributing to a pair of shutouts during the previous week.
  • Williams was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Oct. 4 after posting a pair of shutouts and making six saves in a 1-0-1 week for the Bearcats.
  • Junior midfielder Matt Bahner was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Sept. 6 after scoring both of UC's goals that week, including the game-winner against Dayton on Sept. 1.
  • Bahner has scored four of the Bearcats' nine goals this season, doubling his career goal output (four entering 2010).
  • Senior forward Nick Weightman scored his first goal of the season when he tallied the game-winner against Georgetown on Sept. 25. He also carded the game-winner at No. 22 St. John's on Oct. 9.
  • Senior midfielder Mark Konitsch has been a constant threat on the flanks for the Bearcats and leads the team with three assists, including the helper on Weightman's game-winner against Georgetown.
  • Senior target forward Tristan Watson scored his first goal in 26 matches, heading in a Sam Klosterman cross against Rutgers on Oct. 2.
  • Senior forward Branden Stelmak, the team's leading scorer the last two seasons, got his first goal of 2010 at No. 22 St. John's on Oct. 9.
  • The Bearcats roster features players from near and far. Ohio products hold 12 roster spots with eight hailing from the Greater Cincinnati/Dayton area. Seven Bearcats hail from outside the United States, including four from Canada, two from Jamaica, and one from Scotland.

BIG EAST Honors:

  • Matt Bahner was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor roll on Sept. 6 after scoring a pair of goals in a 1-0-1 week for the Bearcats.
  • Bahner earned a second BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll mention on Sept. 27 after tallying a goal and an assist in UC's 2-0 win against Georgetown in its BIG EAST opener.
  • Freshman defender Alex Hadley was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week on Oct. 4. Hadley scored the game-winner against Rutgers with a right-footed blast from the corner of the 18-yard box following a failed clearance. It was his first career goal.
  • Senior goalkeeper Matt Williams earned BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll mention on Oct. 4 after posting a pair of shutouts in a 1-0-1 week, lowering his goals-against average to 0.31 and extending his shutout streak to three matches and 367 minutes.

Rough Road:

  • The 2010 schedule features matches against four Top 25 teams, including No. 1/1 Akron.
  • UC will welcome No. 2/7 Louisville to Gettler Stadium on Oct. 13 and No. 22/23 USF on Oct. 20.
  • The Bearcats fell, 1-0, at Akron on Sept. 19 and won at No. 22/nr St. John's on Oct. 9.

Rank and File:

  • Hylton Dayes has has success against ranked opponents since coming to UC in 2001, especially at home.
  • The Bearcats are 9-6 against ranked opponents at home since 2001, including knocking off No. 1 UConn, 2-0, in 2006.

Last Time Out:

  • Nick Weightman scored the game-winning goal to lead the Bearcats to a 2-0 win at No. 22/nr St. John's on Oct. 9 at Belson Stadium.
  • The Bearcats (5-3-3, 3-0-0 BIG EAST), move to 3-0 in BIG EAST play for the first time since joining the conference in 2005.
  • In the 24th minute, Weightman took a feed from leading scorer Matt Bahner and slid a shot to the far post for his second goal of his senior season.
  • The Bearcats added on early in the second half when Branden Stelmak, who led the Bearcats in scoring in each of the last two seasons, scored his first of the season in the 56th minute to push the lead to 2-0.
  • The Bearcats and senior goalkeeper Matt Williams posted a clean sheet for the seventh time through the first 11 matches of the season. Williams lowered his goals-against average to 0.43 in posting his 18th career shutout.
  • UC improved to 2-4-0 all-time against the Red Storm, with both wins coming at Belson Stadium.

Up Next:

  • Cincinnati heads back out on the road to square off with Seton Hall on Saturday, Oct. 16, in South Orange, N.J. The Bearcats and Pirates will kick off at 7 p.m.