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Bearcats-Friars Square Off in BIG EAST Semifinal

Bearcats-Friars Square Off in BIG EAST SemifinalBearcats-Friars Square Off in BIG EAST Semifinal

Nov. 10, 2010

Game Notes | Live Stats

The Game:

  • The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team will take on Providence in a BIG EAST Championship semifinal match on Friday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m. at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
  • The Bearcats finished second in the BIG EAST Red Division with a 5-1-3 conference mark, earning the No. 2 seed.
  • Providence, which won at Villanova, 3-0, on Nov. 3 and at Georgetown, 2-1, on Nov. 6, is the No. 5 seed out of the Blue Division.
  • The match will be televised live on CBS College Sports.

Bearcats in BIG EAST Championship

  • The Bearcats are 1-4-1 in BIG EAST Championship matches since joining the conference in 2005.
  • UC and Providence will meet for the fourth time in BIG EAST Championship play.
  • The Bearcats fell to the Friars in Cincinnati in the 2005 and 2006 BIG EAST Tournaments.
  • UC topped the Friars in 2007 in Providence before falling at DePaul in the second round.
  • Cincinnati dropped a first-round contest at Georgetown in 2008 and missed the tourney in 2009.

Series History:

  • Cincinnati trails in the all-time series, 1-2-2.
  • The Bearcats and Friars have played two regular-season contests, drawing in each (1-1 in 2005, 0-0 in 2008).
  • Of UC's six previous BIG EAST Tournament matches, PC has been the opponent in three (1-2-0).

Story Lines:

  • Head coach Hylton Dayes is in his 10th season at Cincinnati and 20th as a head coach. Dayes holds a 86-77-29 mark at UC and a 182-162-48 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' 5-1-3 mark in BIG EAST play is its best since capturing the Red Division title with a 7-3-1 mark in 2006.
  • Cincinnati's seven ties in 2010 are a school record.
  • UC is ninth in the nation in goals-against average. The Bearcats have allowed just 12 goals in 18 matches this season for a 0.61 GAA.
  • The Bearcats had a 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 was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 25.
  • Williams is 11th in the nation - and tops in single-season school history - in goals-against average (0.61) and 13th in save percentage (.845).
  • 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 20 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 seven of the Bearcats' 19 goals this season, more than doubling his career goal output (four entering 2010). He also has five assists this season for 19 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. He scored the go-ahead goal against No. 9/9 Connecticut in the BIG EAST quarterfinals on Nov. 8 and has four goals and 10 points this season.
  • Senior midfielder Mark Konitsch has been a constant threat on the flanks for the Bearcats, posting a team-best six assists to go with a pair of goals for 10 points, second on the team.
  • Senior target forward Tristan Watson scored his first goal in 26 matches, heading in a Sam Klosterman cross against Rutgers on Oct. 2. He added a goal in UC's 4-0 win against Syracuse on Senior Day, Oct. 30.
  • 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 sent 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. He scored his first career goal on a header against Syracuse.
  • 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.
  • Williams was named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 25 following an 0-0-2 week for the Bearcats against No. 19/19 USF and at Villanova. Williams allowed just one goal in 220 minutes, making 14 saves with his eighth shutout of the season.
  • Mark Konitsch earned a spot on the Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 1 following a 1-0-1 week in which he scored a pair of goals and dished out two assists.

Rough Road:

  • The 2010 schedule featured matches against five Top 25 teams, including No. 1/1 Akron and No. 9/9 Connecticut.
  • 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.
  • Georgetown and Michigan, which were unranked when the Bearcats played them, are now in the Top 25.
  • The Bearcats are 1-2-2 against ranked opponents this season.

Rank and File:

  • Hylton Dayes has has success against ranked opponents since coming to UC in 2001, especially at home.
  • The Bearcats are 9-7-2 against ranked opponents at home since 2001, including knocking off No. 1 UConn, 2-0, in 2006.

Last Time Out:

  • UC advanced to the BIG EAST Championship semifinal match, 4-1 on penalty kicks, against No. 9/9 Connecticut on Nov. 8 at Gettler Stadium.
  • After 90 regulation minutes and two overtime periods, the match went to penalty kicks tied at 1-1, where the Bearcats (7-4-7) converted the first four and goalkeeper Matt Williams made consecutive saves to help UC to its first BIG EAST semifinal appearance.
  • Weightman got the Bearcats off to a fast start in the 12th minute. A pass into the midfield from Mark Konitsch found Weightman, who spun and lofted a shot over Connecticut goalkeeper Josh Ford, who was off his line, from 30 yards out.
  • Ford entered the match No. 1 in the nation in goals against average, allowing just five goals all season for a 0.29 GAA.
  • The 1-0 lead lasted only about 15 minutes as the Huskies (12-2-5), who entered the match as the nation's leading scoring program, struck in the 27th.
  • Stephane Diop cut to his right foot at the top of the box and after initially being stopped by a pair of UC defenders, gathered the loose ball and beat Williams to tie it at 1-1.