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Bearcats Travel to Villanova for Key BIG EAST Matchup

Bearcats Travel to Villanova for Key BIG EAST MatchupBearcats Travel to Villanova for Key BIG EAST Matchup

Oct. 23, 2010

Game Notes |

The Game:

  • The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team will put second place in the BIG EAST Red Division on the line when it takes on Villanova on Oct. 23. Kickoff is set for noon at the Villanova Soccer Complex.
  • The Bearcats and Wildcats both sit on 13 points in the standings, trailing only unbeaten Louisville, who sits on 18.

Series History:

  • The Bearcats are unbeaten and untied against Villanova, having won each of the first five meetings.
  • UC is 2-0 all-time at Villanova, including a 2-1 overtime victory in the 2006 season finale which secured the regular-season BIG EAST title for UC.

Story Lines:

  • Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his 10th season at Cincinnati and 20th as a head coach. Dayes holds a 85-77-26 mark at UC and a 181-162-45 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.
  • The Bearcats' 4-1-1 mark in BIG EAST play is the best start for UC since its 4-0-2 start in the 2005 campaign.
  • UC entered the week ranked 22nd in the nation in goals-against average. The Bearcats have allowed just 10 goals through the first 14 matches of the season and hold a 0.67 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 entered the week 23rd in the nation in goals-against average (0.67) and 32th in save percentage (.833).
  • 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 six of the Bearcats' 13 goals this season, more than doubling his career goal output (four entering 2010). He also has a team-high three assists this season for 15 points.
  • 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 and added a penalty kick goal in a 1-1 draw against No. 19/19 USF on Oct. 20.
  • 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.
  • Sophomore Shamar Shelton tallied his first goal in a UC uniform, leveling the match against Seton Hall at 1-1 on Oct. 16.
  • Sophomore midfielder/defender Zach Patterson carded his first career assist against No. 2/5 Louisville on Oct. 13. He chased down a clearance attempt by the Cardinals defense and send a pass back into the box where it met the head of leading scorer Matt Bahner for his fifth goal.
  • True freshman midfielder Michael Millay earned his first assist on the game-winning goal against Seton Hall on Oct. 16.
  • 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.
  • Bahner again earned an honor roll nod on Oct. 18 after contributing to all three of Cincinnati's goals during a 1-1-0 week.
  • 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 lost, 3-1, against No. 2/5 Louisville in Gettler Stadium on Oct. 13 and drew 1-1 in double overtime vs. No. 19/19 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 9-7-1 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-tying goal for the UC against No. 19/19 USF on Oct. 20 at Gettler Stadium, but the two squads ended in a 1-1 draw in double overtime.
  • Weightman's goal, which came in the 48th minute, was the first penalty kick of the 2010 season for the Bearcats and the third goal of the season for the senior forward.
  • Cincinnati nearly put the match into the victory column after Roger Thompson blasted a shot inside the penalty box with 15 seconds remaining in the second overtime but USF's Jeff Attinella came up with the save.
  • The Bulls scored first in the match in the ninth minute. Bernardo Anor served up a cross from the left side to Leston Paul inside the penalty box where Paul was able to settle and knock in a shot on the far side.
  • The Bearcats outshot the Bulls, 22-17 and was edged by USF on corner kicks, 6-3. Matt Williams had nine saves in goal for UC, including a dramatic save on a Ben Sweat shot in the 108th minute.

Up Next:

  • Cincinnati continues a two-match road swing at DePaul on Oct. 27 before returning home for the regular-season finale against Syracuse on Oct. 30.