TicketsCINCINNATI - Three members of the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team have been recognized by the American Athletic Conference this week, including Kiki Lowell, who was named the Defensive Player of the Week after the Bearcats opened AAC play with a 1-0-1 record at home. Joining Lowell on the weekly list are fellow freshmen Madison Less and Karli Royer, both of whom were selected for the Honor Roll.
UC is currently 7-1-2 on the year after playing #14 UCF to a scoreless draw Thursday night before recording a 1-0 victory over USF Sunday afternoon at Gettler Stadium. With their 1-0-1 conference mark, the Bearcats are currently in a three-way tie with UCF and Memphis for the top spot on the AAC table with each having collected four points.
// STRONG BACKING
Lowell earned the first weekly honor of her career from the American as she started both matches last week and played 187 of the possible 200 minutes on the defensive back line that kept both UCF and USF scoreless, marking the fifth and sixth shutouts, respectively, recorded by the UC defense this year. Lowell played a big part in both matches as she continually helped clear the defensive third while also pressing forward as needed to keep the UC attack going.
// BIG BACKSTOP
Less put together two big matches in goal for the Bearcats as she recorded a career-high seven saves in the 0-0 double overtime tie with #14 UCF before adding four more stops to keep USF off the board in the 1-0 win. Less currently holds a 0.47 goals-against average, which is the lowest (so far) in program history for single-season GAA. She also is tied for the conference lead with four shutouts and is averaging a league-best 0.67 shutouts per game rate in 2017. Since allowing a goal to LSU at 43:37 on September 14, Less has clamped down on the opposition as she has not allowed a shot to go by her in 246:23 of game time.
// ROYER OPENS HER ACCOUNT
Royer also collected her first career weekly honor from the league as the freshman also scored her first collegiate goal Sunday to give UC the 1-0 win over USF. With just under three minutes remaining in regulation in a scoreless match, Royer took a corner kick from the right of the goal and send an in-swinger toward the frame. The ball she struck curled toward the front post and found its way into the goal to give UC the win. The time of the goal (87:38) ranks as the 14th-latest goal scored in regulation for the Bearcats since the start of the 2003 season.
// HONORS IN 2017
Through six weeks, the awards have piled up for the Bearcats as they have collected six athlete of the week accolades to accompany five more Honor Roll selections. Lowell's defensive honor is the fourth of the year after Vanessa Gilles earned the honor three times earlier this year and is the sixth overall after both Julie Gavorski and Jaycie Brown were named to the offensive accolade in weeks three and four, respectively. Less, a two-time selection, joins Gavorski (one), Sophie Gorman (one) and Royer (one) as the team's Honor Roll selections so far in 2017.
Offensive Player of the Week
• Jaycie Brown (9/11)
• Julie Gavorski (9/4)
Defensive Player of the Week
• Vanessa Gilles (8/21, 8/28, 9/11)
• Kiki Lowell (9/25)
Honor Roll
• Julie Gavorski (8/28)
• Sophie Gorman (9/11)
• Madison Less (9/11, 9/25)
• Karli Royer (9/25)
// UPCOMING ACTION
The Bearcats hit the road this week for a pair of AAC matches, their first road conference matches of the year. First, UC will meet UConn in a 7 p.m. contest Thursday night in Storrs, Conn. Then, the two-match road swing comes to a close Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Bearcats meet the Temple Owls in Philadelphia. Neither team has played an AAC match this year.
// FOLLOWING THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.
UC is currently 7-1-2 on the year after playing #14 UCF to a scoreless draw Thursday night before recording a 1-0 victory over USF Sunday afternoon at Gettler Stadium. With their 1-0-1 conference mark, the Bearcats are currently in a three-way tie with UCF and Memphis for the top spot on the AAC table with each having collected four points.
// STRONG BACKING
Lowell earned the first weekly honor of her career from the American as she started both matches last week and played 187 of the possible 200 minutes on the defensive back line that kept both UCF and USF scoreless, marking the fifth and sixth shutouts, respectively, recorded by the UC defense this year. Lowell played a big part in both matches as she continually helped clear the defensive third while also pressing forward as needed to keep the UC attack going.
// BIG BACKSTOP
Less put together two big matches in goal for the Bearcats as she recorded a career-high seven saves in the 0-0 double overtime tie with #14 UCF before adding four more stops to keep USF off the board in the 1-0 win. Less currently holds a 0.47 goals-against average, which is the lowest (so far) in program history for single-season GAA. She also is tied for the conference lead with four shutouts and is averaging a league-best 0.67 shutouts per game rate in 2017. Since allowing a goal to LSU at 43:37 on September 14, Less has clamped down on the opposition as she has not allowed a shot to go by her in 246:23 of game time.
// ROYER OPENS HER ACCOUNT
Royer also collected her first career weekly honor from the league as the freshman also scored her first collegiate goal Sunday to give UC the 1-0 win over USF. With just under three minutes remaining in regulation in a scoreless match, Royer took a corner kick from the right of the goal and send an in-swinger toward the frame. The ball she struck curled toward the front post and found its way into the goal to give UC the win. The time of the goal (87:38) ranks as the 14th-latest goal scored in regulation for the Bearcats since the start of the 2003 season.
// HONORS IN 2017
Through six weeks, the awards have piled up for the Bearcats as they have collected six athlete of the week accolades to accompany five more Honor Roll selections. Lowell's defensive honor is the fourth of the year after Vanessa Gilles earned the honor three times earlier this year and is the sixth overall after both Julie Gavorski and Jaycie Brown were named to the offensive accolade in weeks three and four, respectively. Less, a two-time selection, joins Gavorski (one), Sophie Gorman (one) and Royer (one) as the team's Honor Roll selections so far in 2017.
Offensive Player of the Week
• Jaycie Brown (9/11)
• Julie Gavorski (9/4)
Defensive Player of the Week
• Vanessa Gilles (8/21, 8/28, 9/11)
• Kiki Lowell (9/25)
Honor Roll
• Julie Gavorski (8/28)
• Sophie Gorman (9/11)
• Madison Less (9/11, 9/25)
• Karli Royer (9/25)
// UPCOMING ACTION
The Bearcats hit the road this week for a pair of AAC matches, their first road conference matches of the year. First, UC will meet UConn in a 7 p.m. contest Thursday night in Storrs, Conn. Then, the two-match road swing comes to a close Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Bearcats meet the Temple Owls in Philadelphia. Neither team has played an AAC match this year.
// FOLLOWING THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.