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CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team used a dramatic comeback effort to advance to the American Athletic Conference Championship match, defeating No. 1 seed UConn Thursday evening 3-2 in overtime.
Sophomore defender Vanessa Gilles (Ottawa, Canada/Louis Riel) headed in the golden goal in the 98th minute to lift No. 4 Cincinnati over top-seeded UConn. In regulation, the Bearcats needed a pair of late second-half goals to force overtime.
The Huskies scored twice in the first half on goals from Co-Offensive Player of the Year Rachel Hill and Liana Hinds.
Like in the quarterfinal match, Danielle Rotheram (Toronto, Ontario/Holy Trinity Catholic/Central Michigan) started UC's scoring, netting her team-high ninth goal of the season in the 79th minute to put UC on the board. The Bearcats added their second goal with just three minutes remaining in the match thanks to Julie Gavorski. Carrying all the momentum into the overtime period, UC scored the golden goal with just over two minutes left in the first OT.
It marks the program's first trip to a conference championship since the 2002 season when the Bearcats were crowned Conference USA champions. The 2002 season was the third straight season UC advanced to a championship, defending their 2001 title.
// GOAL SUMMARY
20' UConn - Rachel Hill - UConn took the 1-0 lead off a second-chance shot from Hill. Wickett fired a shot from just outside the box, which deflected off the crossbar and right to Willis who was able to navigate the ball past the UC goalie.
43' UConn - Liana Hinds - The Huskies added their second goal after two UC defenders collided leaving Kim Urbanek alone on the end line. Her cross found Hinds open on the far side, where she converted the goal from point-blank range.
79' Cincinnati - Danielle Rotheram - UC's first goal started off a throw in from Taylor Pavlika (Temperance, Mich./Novi/IPFW). Julie Gavorski headed the ball back to Rotheram, who snuck the ball in the far corner.
88' Cincinnati - Julie Gavorski - The Bearcats tied things up with under three minutes to play in regulation on a Gavorski goal. Cassie Wheldon (Waterloo, Canada/Bluevale) passed from midfield to an open Rotheram, who played a perfect ball up to Gavorski before scored past a charging UConn goalie.
98' - Cincinnati - Vanessa Gilles - UC's golden goal came off a set piece following a UConn foul. Kelly Latimer (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) delivered a free kick from just outside the box near the end line and Vanessa Gilles headed the ball quickly past the UConn goalie.
// MATCH NOTES
- The Bearcats improve to 13-5-4 on the year while the Huskies fall to 17-3.
- Rotheram's goal was her team-best ninth of the season. It marks the second-straight game she has scored UC's first goal of the match.
- Julie Gavorski and Vanessa Gilles each notched their fourth goal of the season. It was Gilles' second game-winning goal this year.
- Rotheram and Pavlika each have a team-best five assist on the year. Pavlika now has four while Gavorski has three and Latimer notched her second.
- UConn had the first shot to end the game in overtime on a shot from inside the box, but Natalie Smith made a diving save to push the ball around the post. She finished with six saves and moves to 5-4-1.
- UC held a 26-17 edge in shots while UConn had a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
- UC's 13 wins this season are the most for UC since the 2002 season when the Bearcats collected 17 wins.
- Cincinnati earned its second-consecutive 10-win season, marking the first time since 2001-02 it has reached the milestone in back-to-back seasons.
- Additionally, the five wins in conference play are the most since 2008, when UC also won five. Those two five-win seasons are the most by UC teams since 2002.
- The fourth-place finish in The American is the best standing at the end of the regular season for Cincinnati since 2002 when the Bearcats placed second in Conference USA behind a 6-1-3 league record and 17-4-3 overall mark. That team went on to win the C-USA Tournament title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will face the winner of #2 USF and #3 UCF in the championship on Sunday, November 8. The match will be available on ESPN3.