TicketsNov. 1, 2010
By Garrett Sabelhaus
GoBEARCATS.com
The season started out as well as it possibly could have for the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team.
It ended abruptly, leaving a bad taste in the mouth of head coach Michelle Salmon.
The Cats started out 5-0-1 on their way to an 8-10-1 overall record at season's end.
"We started off extremely well. We started out the best in program history," Salmon said. "As the season went along we had some tough defeats. The way I look at it is we had an opportunity this season to play a lot of young players."
Part of the fast start included a win over No. 20 ranked Wisconsin on the road.
"To beat Wisconsin on the road is a huge win for this program," Salmon said. "There are so many positives about this season even though we didn't necessarily have the best record."
One of those positives included gaining valuable experience for the underclassmen on a team loaded with young players.
UC had just two seniors on the roster and played the majority of the season with sophomore Ashley Daniels in goal.
After the fast start, the Cats' season began going downhill quickly as they entered conference play.
They would lose 10 of their final 13 games including their final four games which were all on the road. Despite the poor conference play, the Cats controlled their own destiny entering the final weekend of the season. With wins over their final two opponents, Rutgers and Seton Hall, the Cats would have earned a berth in the Big East Tournament.
Instead, UC lost 2-1 and 3-1 ending their season.
The way the season ended was a disappointment to senior forward Kendall Loggins but the season wasn't a total loss.
"The whole season was fun," Loggins said. "It would have been nice to make it to the tournament but the team is so good and there's so much talent that I think they'll be great next year and I think they can make it (to the tournament)."
That talent and the youth of the team is what makes the expectations for next season high. Salmon knows the experience will help her team tremendously as they move forward.
"We certainly put our players in a very challenging environment and we'll do the same next year," Salmon said. "My hope is the second time around we'll be much better because there is no substitute for experience."