Tickets // THE OPENING WHISTLE
Coming off its first road victory of the season, the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team is set to return to the tri-state area for a pair of matches this week as the Bearcats will take on Northern Kentucky and Purdue. First up, the Bearcats will cross the Ohio River and head into Highland Heights, Ky., to face the Norse in the second edition of the Riverboat Rivalry Thursday night at 7 p.m. Then, UC closes out the weekend with a 1 p.m. match Sunday at Gettler Stadium with the Boilermakers coming to town.
// FOLLOW US
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.
// GOING LIVE
All home matches in 2017 will once again be streamed live on GoBearcats.com and, this year, will all be free. The link to the stream can be found on the women's soccer schedule page. On the same page, links to live statistics can also be found. For Thursday's Riverboat Rivalry, fans can watch the match live on ESPN3 or by using the Watch ESPN app.
// EXPERIENCE UC
Both matches this week, along with all home matches in 2017, will be part of the Experience UC initiative, which is geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending women's basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming and diving and track and field home events.
// IN THE POLLS
The Bearcats found their name listed in one national poll this week as Top Drawer Soccer has Cincinnati listed at #24 in its weekly Top 25 rankings. UC is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll (3 votes) while moving up two spots to #10 in the latest USC Southeast Region rankings. The Bearcats are not part of the Soccer America Top 25 list.
// QUICK RECAP: AT NORTHWESTERN
• Cincinnati played its first road match of the year and handed #21 Northwestern a 2-1 defeat in Evanston, Ill., Sunday afternoon
• The loss was NU's first at home since October 12, 2014
• UC trailed at the break, 1-0, before scoring twice in the second half to take the win
• Julie Gavorski scored both goals in the match, her 19th and 20th career strikes
• She now has nine career game-winners to her credit which ties for fifth all-time at UC
• The game-winner was Gavorski's second in as many matches (vs. Miami, Fla.)
// RECOGNIZED
Last week, following her match-winner in a 1-0 defeat of visiting Miami, Gavorski was selected to the American Athletic Conference weekly Honor Roll. This week, after scoring a brace to lead UC to victory at Northwestern, the Conference named her as the offensive player of the week for the first time in her career. For her efforts, Gavorski also was selected to the Top Drawer Soccer Women's National Team of the Week, the first time she has been placed on the elite list.
// HOT START
Following last week's 2-1 victory at Northwestern in their first away match of 2017, the Bearcats improved to 4-0-1 on the year and remained undefeated as well. Dating back to the program's inaugural varsity season (1980), this year's start marks just the third time a Bearcats team has not suffered a defeat in their opening five matches. The 1980 team was 5-0-0 before falling in their sixth match while the 2010 squad was opened at 5-0-1 before taking its first loss. A win Thursday would match the 2010 team's start on record (5-0-1) while a tie would equal the longest undefeated start in program history (six matches in a row).
// LIFTING THE LID: ADN
The American Digital Network (ADN) has announced its fall broadcast schedule and have selected the UCF at Cincinnati women's soccer match as one its events. The match, slated to start at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 21, will be played at Gettler Stadium in Cincinnati and will be the first event ADN will broadcast this fall.
// LIFTED THE LID: ROAD
With their win at NU, the Bearcats now hold an all-time record of 21-14-3 in their first road contest of the season. UC is now 3-2-1 in it's last five road openers.
// CLIMBING THE LADDER, AGAIN
For the second week in a row, Gavorski has risen higher up the career ranks as she recorded her ninth career game-winning goal at NU. With that strike, she is now tied for fifth all-time in program history with Julie Morrissey (2008-10) and is just one winner shy of becoming only the fifth Bearcats player to reach double digits in that category.
// STAYING ON THE PITCH
For her career, Gilles has appeared in 69 matches and has started all 69. In that time, she has accumulated 6,365 minutes of playing time, which is the fourth-highest total for a non-goalkeeper in program history. Next on the list is Andrea Kaminski (2006-09), who tallied 6,614 minutes in her career with Gilles' former backline teammate Kayla Utley (2013-16) taking the top spot last year with 7,101 minutes played, the only Bearcat to surpass 7,000 minutes in a career (non-GK).
// KNOW THE FOE: NORTHERN KENTUCKY
• The Norse are 3-2-0 on the season and are coming off a 3-2 home loss to Murray State
• All five of NKU's matches have been decided by one goal, including the first four ending, 2-1 (3-1-0)
• Jessica Fey leads the way for the Norse with 12 points on a team-high six goals
• Fey has scored six of the team's nine goals so far in 2017 with three others each adding one
• The Norse have played two keepers with Jennifer Farwell seeing her first action last week
• Head Coach Bob Sheehan recently won the 300th match of his career, all of which have come at NKU
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. NORSE
• Cincinnati holds a 1-0-0 advantage in the series after winning, 1-0, last year at Nippert Stadium
• This week's match will mark the first time the two teams have meet at NKU
// HISTORICAL FIRST
Last year, the Bearcats and Norse met for the first time and did so on a Monday night in Nippert Stadium as 4,722 fans turned out to witness the first Riverboat Rivalry. In that match, Julie Gavorski's 18' strike was all that was needed to help the hosts to victory. The crowd, easily a school record for UC, is the largest crowd to witness a women's collegiate soccer match ever in the state of Ohio.
// LOCAL DERBY
All-time, the Bearcats hold a combined record of 26-6-1 against its two closest rivals, sporting a 25-6-1 mark against crosstown rival Xavier and 1-0-0 against NKU after last year's initial meeting. When you lump in the three other 'local' foes, the Bearcats are 56-20-5 all-time against the five schools with marks of 13-6-1 against Dayton, 8-4-1 against Wright State and 8-4-2 against Miami.
// KNOW THE FOE: PURDUE
• The Boilermakers are 4-1-0 on the year and have won three in a row, all via shutout
• This week, PU will play at Louisville and at Cincinnati, marking the first two road matches of the year
• PU has out-scored its opponents, 10-0, in the last three matches, and 13-3 this season
• Three players each have scored three goals this year to lead the Boilermakers, including Maddy Williams (3-4-10), Hannah Melchiorre (3-2-8) and Andrea Petrina (3-1-7)
• Katie Luce has seen much of the time in goal, allowing just 3 goals in 435 minutes of play (0.62)
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. BOILERMAKERS
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series, 3-2-1, with Purdue winning the most recent meeting
• Last year, UC suffered its first loss of 2016 in a 2-1 overtime defeat at Purdue (8/26/16)
• UC is 2-0-1 all-time in Cincinnati with wins of 4-0 and 8-0 and a 0-0 tie to the then-#21 Boilermakers in the last meeting in the Queen City (8/9/06)
// THIRD TIME
The match Sunday against Purdue will be the third of the year - second officially - that Cincinnati has played against a member of the Big Ten Conference. UC defeated Indiana, 3-1, in an exhibition match earlier in August before handing Northwestern a 2-1 decision in Evanston, Ill., last week.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// IMPRESSIVE HOME START
For just the sixth time in program history, the Bearcats opened a season with two clean sheets in their first two matches and did so for the first time since the 2006 season in which UC downed Kentucky, 1-0, and tied #21 Purdue, 0-0, with both matches played in Cincinnati. The back-to-back shut outs at home to open the season also marked the first time the Bearcats have done so and won both matches in program history.
// ACCOUNT OPENED
In the season opener, the Bearcats picked up a 1-0 victory over Buffalo thanks to the scoring touch of true freshman Sophie Gorman. The local product from McNicholas High School found the back of the net in the 70' after she dribbled into the box, side stepped the keeper and pushed the ball into the goal for what would stand as the game winner. Gorman is no stranger to scoring, however. If you include the two preseason exhibitions UC played (vs. NIU and at Indiana), her strike against UB marked her third collegiate match in a row that she found the back of the net for the Red and Black.
// ROOKIE OPENERS
With Gorman's goal, the Bearcats have now seen a true freshman score the first goal of the season for UC in each of the past two seasons. Last year, Gabrielle LoPresti got things going for the Bearcats as she converted a penalty kick attempt to give UC a 1-0 lead on its way to a 2-1, double overtime victory against visiting Dayton.
// FRESHMEN EARN STARTING XI SPOTS
So far, five true freshmen and one redshirt saw their names added to the Starting XI this year with Kiki Lowell and Karli Royer both earning starts in each of the first two matches. Also earning their first career starts in their rookie seasons were Sophie Gorman and redshirt Madison Less against Buffalo while Jane Sensibaugh and Lexie Kolano both started against Boston University.
// MORE DEBUTS
Four other newcomers also saw their first minutes of action for the Bearcats, including three more rookies. Junior transfer Jill Vetere joined Abby Brauning and Bailey Korhorn as substitutes in the match with Buffalo while Riley Gruenbaum saw her first collegiate minutes against Boston U.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 21 times and hold an impressive 19-0-2 record in those matches after posting a 3-0-1 mark during the 2016 season and standing 2-0-0 this year following last week's 1-0 defeat of Miami (Fla.). During those 21 matches, the Bearcats have outscored their foes, 47-10, with the UC defense recording 13 clean sheets in that span. The next 'Sunday Fun Day' will be September 10 when Purdue comes to town for the third of five home Sunday matches (USF and Memphis later this year).
// LIFTING THE LID - SEASON
The Bearcats now hold a 25-12-1 all-time record in their season-opening matches with a 3-2-0 mark in Stafford's time leading the program following the 1-0 defeat of Buffalo last week. Additionally, when playing their first home match of the season, the Bearcats now hold a 26-10-2 overall record and are 2-1-1 in their last four home openers.
// USWNT COMING TO TOWN
Earlier this summer, it was announced that the UC will play host to the U.S. Women's National Team as they will face New Zealand in an international friendly. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. and will broadcast on FS1 live from Nippert Stadium.
// GILLES ONCE AGAIN HONORED
For the second year in a row, Vanessa Gilles has been named the American Athletic Conference's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, an honor she first earned last season. The award, which comes through a vote of the league head coaches, is just the second preseason honor earned in program history after Gilles' first honor last year. The awards didn't stop there for Gilles as she was also named to the AAC Preseason All-Conference team and the TopDrawerSoccer.com Women's DI Preseason Best XI Third Team. She joined Memphis' Marie Levasseur on the third team with both being the only players selected from the American.
// GAVORSKI GRABS HONOR
Julie Gavorski also earned a preseason honor as she joined Gilles on the American's Preseason All-Conference squad. The accolade is the first preseason honor earned by Gavorski who finished the 2016 season by being selected to the American Athletic All-Conference Second Team. Gavorski led the team in goals (8), points (17) and game-winning goals (4) one year ago.
// BEARCATS SELECTED THIRD
The Bearcats have been predicted to finish third in the American Athletic Conference this season in a vote of the league coaches as UC collected 60 points and one first-place vote - a first for the Bearcats as members of the American. Memphis was picked to win the title, scoring 74 points and five first-place votes while SMU was second with 65 points and three first-place votes. USF (57 points, 1 first-place vote) and UConn (56) rounded out the Top 5. For the Bearcats, the third-place selection equals its highest predicted finish as a member of the American after they were slotted in a tie for third prior to last season.
// GAFFER BACK FOR YEAR FIVE
Head Coach Neil Stafford is set to start his fifth season at the helm of the Bearcats program. In his previous four seasons in Cincinnati, Stafford and his staff have guided UC to 42 victories, which is tied for the most wins in the first four years of leading the program with Meridy Glenn. He has led the team to an improved winning percentage in each year he has been with UC. Statistically, the team has allowed fewer goals each season, letting in 37 his first year before conceding just 21 last year. Offensively, his side has tallied at least 30 goals in all four of his seasons, a streak that had not happened since an 11-year run came to an end in the 2003 season.
// CHASING WINS - STAFFORD
The 2017 season will not only be the fifth in Cincinnati for Stafford, but also his 15th as a collegiate coach. His players have captured 45 victories (through the UM match) during his time in Cincinnati, needing five more this year to give the head coach his 50th win at UC. Prior to that milestone, a fourth victory - which could come this weekend - will be the 150th win in his collegiate coaching career.
// SENIOR SIX
Six seniors are set to compete in their final collegiate seasons this fall. The Class of 2017 includes Jaycie Brown, Katy Couperus, Lizzie Ehrnfelt, Julie Gavorski, Vanessa Gilles and Taylor Pavlika. The seniors will be honored during Senior Night festivities surrounding the Bearcats' match with visiting Morehead State on October 6.
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 37 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks tied for 23rd on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons, should the Bearcats record double-digit wins again this year, the seniors would finish with at least 44 victories, which would rank them 12th all-time. To crack the Top 10, the seniors would need 13 wins this year as 47 victories is a 3-way time for 8th (1996, 1989, 1983).
// HELLO! MY NAME IS...
The program has welcomed 10 new players to the roster this year, including one transfer and nine true freshmen. The transfer comes in the form of Jill Vetere, a native of Mason, Ohio, who is returning home following two years at the University of Louisville. The nine-member freshman class includes Abby Brauning (Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame), Sophie Gorman (Cincinnati McNicholas), Riley Gruenbaum (Plain City, Ohio), Lexie Kolano (Trafford, Pa.), Bailey Korhorn (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Kiki Lowell (Kitchener, Ontario), Delaney Riester (Nobelsville, Ind.), Karli Royer (Westerville, Ohio) and Jane Sensibaugh (Solon, Ohio).
// BIG AWARDS
Looking back at their high school careers, two newcomers on the 2017 roster bring with them USC (formerly NSCAA) All-America accolades earned during their prep careers. Vetere earned All-America honors in 2014 as a senior while also being named the Ohio Division I Player of the Year. Gorman was a two-time All-American, being selected for the honor in both 2014 and 2016.
// MAC IS BACK
Players were not the only new addition to the program this offseason as Gavin MacLeod, a former volunteer assistant with the staff in 2014, has returned to the Bearcats. MacLeod will serve as an assistant coach and director of player performance. Prior to his arrival, MacLeod served as the director of coaching for girls at AFC Lightning in Peachtree City, Ga. His coaching experience also includes time in the Cincinnati area working with Kings Hammer Academy as an assistant coach with its USL PDL side and also was the head coach of the Dayton Dutch Lions (USL W-League), Unite Premier (CUP) and Ohio South ODP.
// STAFFORD RECEIVES HALL CALL
At the end of June, it was announced that Jacquie Stafford, the Bearcats' Director of Operations and wife to head coach Neil Stafford, will be one of six former Central Michigan University student-athletes enshrined in the CMU Marcy Weston Hall of Fame. The former Jacquie Lacek, had standout career for the Chippewas as she still holds program records for single-match goals scored (3) and points in a match (7) while also holding the school record for career assists (19). An NSCAA Scholar-Athlete Second Team honoree and three-time All-MAC selection, Jacquie will be enshrined in a ceremony in Mount Pleasant, Mich., Friday, September 22.
// CLEAN SHEETS
Last year, the Bearcats shut out nine opponents on its way to allowing just 21 goals, which was just over one goal allowed per match. During the season, UC went on a streak of not allowing a goal scored for a span of 311:40, a streak that ranks as the seventh-longest since the start of the 2001 season and spanned three full matches and parts of two others. Once Memphis scored at the 86:35 mark of the match, the Bearcats came out and shut out their next three foes, including a 0-0, double overtime draw with Houston (110:00 minutes). The streak came to an end at the 18:15 mark when USF tallied a goal to tie that match a 1-1. Since Stafford and his staff have taken over the program, UC has recorded stretches of 250 minutes or more of holding a foe scoreless six different times.
// QUICK TO SCORE
Last year, three goals were scored by UC in the opening seven minutes of play with Jaycie Brown finding the back of the net in 1:54 in a match at Memphis. That strike from Brown ranks as the 11th-fastest in program history (dating back to 2001) and the third-fastest goal scored during Stafford's tenure at UC. During the four years Stafford has guided the program, the Bearcats have found the back of the net 17 times in the opening 15 minutes of play with five such goals last year.
// HANGING ON AT THE END
On the opposite end of the time spectrum, the Bearcats also have had a propensity for scoring late in matches. Since the start of the 2001 season, UC has scored 25 goals with 88:03 or later showing on the clock, including 14 in overtime/double-overtime. Three late goals last year made noise, including Gavorski's goal with 14 seconds remaining in double overtime (109:46) to defeat Dayton, 2-1, as goal that ranks as the second latest, surpassed only by Laura Rose's winner at 109:58 (just two seconds from the end of the match) in 2012. An own goal by BU at 89:52 ranks as the 16th latest for UC while Brown's goal at 89:09 at USF pulled the Bearcats level and helped earn a point with a 2-2 draw, a point that was needed to reach the postseason conference tournament.
// ACADEMICALLY SOUND
Last year, the Bearcats collectively sported a 3.51 grade-point average for the year and earned a College Team Academic Award from the NSCAA, an award the program has collected each of the past two years and nine times in total. Individually, 25 of the 30 women on the roster recorded a 3.00 GPA or better during the 2016-17 academic year and were named American Athletic Conference All-Academic. Staying the conference, Vanessa Gilles was one of three UC student-athletes to also be named a 2016-17 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award recipient by the AAC, an award that is give annually to one student-athlete that carries a 3.00 GPA, has strong academic and athletic credentials and serves in the community. Gilles, who was chosen by the Faculty Representatives from around the conference, was the winner for women's soccer, joining Adrian Valles (outdoor track & field, men) and Connor Davis (swimming & diving, men) as award winners.
// UP NEXT
The final non-conference match of the regular season awaits the Bearcats next week as they will travel to Baton Rouge, La., for a 6:00 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) match against the LSU Tigers inside the LSU Soccer Complex. The match will be the final tune-up before the Bearcats play host to conference foes UCF and USF the following week in Cincinnati.
Coming off its first road victory of the season, the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team is set to return to the tri-state area for a pair of matches this week as the Bearcats will take on Northern Kentucky and Purdue. First up, the Bearcats will cross the Ohio River and head into Highland Heights, Ky., to face the Norse in the second edition of the Riverboat Rivalry Thursday night at 7 p.m. Then, UC closes out the weekend with a 1 p.m. match Sunday at Gettler Stadium with the Boilermakers coming to town.
// FOLLOW US
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.
// GOING LIVE
All home matches in 2017 will once again be streamed live on GoBearcats.com and, this year, will all be free. The link to the stream can be found on the women's soccer schedule page. On the same page, links to live statistics can also be found. For Thursday's Riverboat Rivalry, fans can watch the match live on ESPN3 or by using the Watch ESPN app.
// EXPERIENCE UC
Both matches this week, along with all home matches in 2017, will be part of the Experience UC initiative, which is geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending women's basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming and diving and track and field home events.
// IN THE POLLS
The Bearcats found their name listed in one national poll this week as Top Drawer Soccer has Cincinnati listed at #24 in its weekly Top 25 rankings. UC is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll (3 votes) while moving up two spots to #10 in the latest USC Southeast Region rankings. The Bearcats are not part of the Soccer America Top 25 list.
// QUICK RECAP: AT NORTHWESTERN
• Cincinnati played its first road match of the year and handed #21 Northwestern a 2-1 defeat in Evanston, Ill., Sunday afternoon
• The loss was NU's first at home since October 12, 2014
• UC trailed at the break, 1-0, before scoring twice in the second half to take the win
• Julie Gavorski scored both goals in the match, her 19th and 20th career strikes
• She now has nine career game-winners to her credit which ties for fifth all-time at UC
• The game-winner was Gavorski's second in as many matches (vs. Miami, Fla.)
// RECOGNIZED
Last week, following her match-winner in a 1-0 defeat of visiting Miami, Gavorski was selected to the American Athletic Conference weekly Honor Roll. This week, after scoring a brace to lead UC to victory at Northwestern, the Conference named her as the offensive player of the week for the first time in her career. For her efforts, Gavorski also was selected to the Top Drawer Soccer Women's National Team of the Week, the first time she has been placed on the elite list.
// HOT START
Following last week's 2-1 victory at Northwestern in their first away match of 2017, the Bearcats improved to 4-0-1 on the year and remained undefeated as well. Dating back to the program's inaugural varsity season (1980), this year's start marks just the third time a Bearcats team has not suffered a defeat in their opening five matches. The 1980 team was 5-0-0 before falling in their sixth match while the 2010 squad was opened at 5-0-1 before taking its first loss. A win Thursday would match the 2010 team's start on record (5-0-1) while a tie would equal the longest undefeated start in program history (six matches in a row).
// LIFTING THE LID: ADN
The American Digital Network (ADN) has announced its fall broadcast schedule and have selected the UCF at Cincinnati women's soccer match as one its events. The match, slated to start at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 21, will be played at Gettler Stadium in Cincinnati and will be the first event ADN will broadcast this fall.
// LIFTED THE LID: ROAD
With their win at NU, the Bearcats now hold an all-time record of 21-14-3 in their first road contest of the season. UC is now 3-2-1 in it's last five road openers.
// CLIMBING THE LADDER, AGAIN
For the second week in a row, Gavorski has risen higher up the career ranks as she recorded her ninth career game-winning goal at NU. With that strike, she is now tied for fifth all-time in program history with Julie Morrissey (2008-10) and is just one winner shy of becoming only the fifth Bearcats player to reach double digits in that category.
// STAYING ON THE PITCH
For her career, Gilles has appeared in 69 matches and has started all 69. In that time, she has accumulated 6,365 minutes of playing time, which is the fourth-highest total for a non-goalkeeper in program history. Next on the list is Andrea Kaminski (2006-09), who tallied 6,614 minutes in her career with Gilles' former backline teammate Kayla Utley (2013-16) taking the top spot last year with 7,101 minutes played, the only Bearcat to surpass 7,000 minutes in a career (non-GK).
// KNOW THE FOE: NORTHERN KENTUCKY
• The Norse are 3-2-0 on the season and are coming off a 3-2 home loss to Murray State
• All five of NKU's matches have been decided by one goal, including the first four ending, 2-1 (3-1-0)
• Jessica Fey leads the way for the Norse with 12 points on a team-high six goals
• Fey has scored six of the team's nine goals so far in 2017 with three others each adding one
• The Norse have played two keepers with Jennifer Farwell seeing her first action last week
• Head Coach Bob Sheehan recently won the 300th match of his career, all of which have come at NKU
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. NORSE
• Cincinnati holds a 1-0-0 advantage in the series after winning, 1-0, last year at Nippert Stadium
• This week's match will mark the first time the two teams have meet at NKU
// HISTORICAL FIRST
Last year, the Bearcats and Norse met for the first time and did so on a Monday night in Nippert Stadium as 4,722 fans turned out to witness the first Riverboat Rivalry. In that match, Julie Gavorski's 18' strike was all that was needed to help the hosts to victory. The crowd, easily a school record for UC, is the largest crowd to witness a women's collegiate soccer match ever in the state of Ohio.
// LOCAL DERBY
All-time, the Bearcats hold a combined record of 26-6-1 against its two closest rivals, sporting a 25-6-1 mark against crosstown rival Xavier and 1-0-0 against NKU after last year's initial meeting. When you lump in the three other 'local' foes, the Bearcats are 56-20-5 all-time against the five schools with marks of 13-6-1 against Dayton, 8-4-1 against Wright State and 8-4-2 against Miami.
// KNOW THE FOE: PURDUE
• The Boilermakers are 4-1-0 on the year and have won three in a row, all via shutout
• This week, PU will play at Louisville and at Cincinnati, marking the first two road matches of the year
• PU has out-scored its opponents, 10-0, in the last three matches, and 13-3 this season
• Three players each have scored three goals this year to lead the Boilermakers, including Maddy Williams (3-4-10), Hannah Melchiorre (3-2-8) and Andrea Petrina (3-1-7)
• Katie Luce has seen much of the time in goal, allowing just 3 goals in 435 minutes of play (0.62)
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. BOILERMAKERS
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series, 3-2-1, with Purdue winning the most recent meeting
• Last year, UC suffered its first loss of 2016 in a 2-1 overtime defeat at Purdue (8/26/16)
• UC is 2-0-1 all-time in Cincinnati with wins of 4-0 and 8-0 and a 0-0 tie to the then-#21 Boilermakers in the last meeting in the Queen City (8/9/06)
// THIRD TIME
The match Sunday against Purdue will be the third of the year - second officially - that Cincinnati has played against a member of the Big Ten Conference. UC defeated Indiana, 3-1, in an exhibition match earlier in August before handing Northwestern a 2-1 decision in Evanston, Ill., last week.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// IMPRESSIVE HOME START
For just the sixth time in program history, the Bearcats opened a season with two clean sheets in their first two matches and did so for the first time since the 2006 season in which UC downed Kentucky, 1-0, and tied #21 Purdue, 0-0, with both matches played in Cincinnati. The back-to-back shut outs at home to open the season also marked the first time the Bearcats have done so and won both matches in program history.
// ACCOUNT OPENED
In the season opener, the Bearcats picked up a 1-0 victory over Buffalo thanks to the scoring touch of true freshman Sophie Gorman. The local product from McNicholas High School found the back of the net in the 70' after she dribbled into the box, side stepped the keeper and pushed the ball into the goal for what would stand as the game winner. Gorman is no stranger to scoring, however. If you include the two preseason exhibitions UC played (vs. NIU and at Indiana), her strike against UB marked her third collegiate match in a row that she found the back of the net for the Red and Black.
// ROOKIE OPENERS
With Gorman's goal, the Bearcats have now seen a true freshman score the first goal of the season for UC in each of the past two seasons. Last year, Gabrielle LoPresti got things going for the Bearcats as she converted a penalty kick attempt to give UC a 1-0 lead on its way to a 2-1, double overtime victory against visiting Dayton.
// FRESHMEN EARN STARTING XI SPOTS
So far, five true freshmen and one redshirt saw their names added to the Starting XI this year with Kiki Lowell and Karli Royer both earning starts in each of the first two matches. Also earning their first career starts in their rookie seasons were Sophie Gorman and redshirt Madison Less against Buffalo while Jane Sensibaugh and Lexie Kolano both started against Boston University.
// MORE DEBUTS
Four other newcomers also saw their first minutes of action for the Bearcats, including three more rookies. Junior transfer Jill Vetere joined Abby Brauning and Bailey Korhorn as substitutes in the match with Buffalo while Riley Gruenbaum saw her first collegiate minutes against Boston U.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 21 times and hold an impressive 19-0-2 record in those matches after posting a 3-0-1 mark during the 2016 season and standing 2-0-0 this year following last week's 1-0 defeat of Miami (Fla.). During those 21 matches, the Bearcats have outscored their foes, 47-10, with the UC defense recording 13 clean sheets in that span. The next 'Sunday Fun Day' will be September 10 when Purdue comes to town for the third of five home Sunday matches (USF and Memphis later this year).
// LIFTING THE LID - SEASON
The Bearcats now hold a 25-12-1 all-time record in their season-opening matches with a 3-2-0 mark in Stafford's time leading the program following the 1-0 defeat of Buffalo last week. Additionally, when playing their first home match of the season, the Bearcats now hold a 26-10-2 overall record and are 2-1-1 in their last four home openers.
// USWNT COMING TO TOWN
Earlier this summer, it was announced that the UC will play host to the U.S. Women's National Team as they will face New Zealand in an international friendly. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. and will broadcast on FS1 live from Nippert Stadium.
// GILLES ONCE AGAIN HONORED
For the second year in a row, Vanessa Gilles has been named the American Athletic Conference's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, an honor she first earned last season. The award, which comes through a vote of the league head coaches, is just the second preseason honor earned in program history after Gilles' first honor last year. The awards didn't stop there for Gilles as she was also named to the AAC Preseason All-Conference team and the TopDrawerSoccer.com Women's DI Preseason Best XI Third Team. She joined Memphis' Marie Levasseur on the third team with both being the only players selected from the American.
// GAVORSKI GRABS HONOR
Julie Gavorski also earned a preseason honor as she joined Gilles on the American's Preseason All-Conference squad. The accolade is the first preseason honor earned by Gavorski who finished the 2016 season by being selected to the American Athletic All-Conference Second Team. Gavorski led the team in goals (8), points (17) and game-winning goals (4) one year ago.
// BEARCATS SELECTED THIRD
The Bearcats have been predicted to finish third in the American Athletic Conference this season in a vote of the league coaches as UC collected 60 points and one first-place vote - a first for the Bearcats as members of the American. Memphis was picked to win the title, scoring 74 points and five first-place votes while SMU was second with 65 points and three first-place votes. USF (57 points, 1 first-place vote) and UConn (56) rounded out the Top 5. For the Bearcats, the third-place selection equals its highest predicted finish as a member of the American after they were slotted in a tie for third prior to last season.
// GAFFER BACK FOR YEAR FIVE
Head Coach Neil Stafford is set to start his fifth season at the helm of the Bearcats program. In his previous four seasons in Cincinnati, Stafford and his staff have guided UC to 42 victories, which is tied for the most wins in the first four years of leading the program with Meridy Glenn. He has led the team to an improved winning percentage in each year he has been with UC. Statistically, the team has allowed fewer goals each season, letting in 37 his first year before conceding just 21 last year. Offensively, his side has tallied at least 30 goals in all four of his seasons, a streak that had not happened since an 11-year run came to an end in the 2003 season.
// CHASING WINS - STAFFORD
The 2017 season will not only be the fifth in Cincinnati for Stafford, but also his 15th as a collegiate coach. His players have captured 45 victories (through the UM match) during his time in Cincinnati, needing five more this year to give the head coach his 50th win at UC. Prior to that milestone, a fourth victory - which could come this weekend - will be the 150th win in his collegiate coaching career.
// SENIOR SIX
Six seniors are set to compete in their final collegiate seasons this fall. The Class of 2017 includes Jaycie Brown, Katy Couperus, Lizzie Ehrnfelt, Julie Gavorski, Vanessa Gilles and Taylor Pavlika. The seniors will be honored during Senior Night festivities surrounding the Bearcats' match with visiting Morehead State on October 6.
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 37 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks tied for 23rd on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons, should the Bearcats record double-digit wins again this year, the seniors would finish with at least 44 victories, which would rank them 12th all-time. To crack the Top 10, the seniors would need 13 wins this year as 47 victories is a 3-way time for 8th (1996, 1989, 1983).
// HELLO! MY NAME IS...
The program has welcomed 10 new players to the roster this year, including one transfer and nine true freshmen. The transfer comes in the form of Jill Vetere, a native of Mason, Ohio, who is returning home following two years at the University of Louisville. The nine-member freshman class includes Abby Brauning (Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame), Sophie Gorman (Cincinnati McNicholas), Riley Gruenbaum (Plain City, Ohio), Lexie Kolano (Trafford, Pa.), Bailey Korhorn (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Kiki Lowell (Kitchener, Ontario), Delaney Riester (Nobelsville, Ind.), Karli Royer (Westerville, Ohio) and Jane Sensibaugh (Solon, Ohio).
// BIG AWARDS
Looking back at their high school careers, two newcomers on the 2017 roster bring with them USC (formerly NSCAA) All-America accolades earned during their prep careers. Vetere earned All-America honors in 2014 as a senior while also being named the Ohio Division I Player of the Year. Gorman was a two-time All-American, being selected for the honor in both 2014 and 2016.
// MAC IS BACK
Players were not the only new addition to the program this offseason as Gavin MacLeod, a former volunteer assistant with the staff in 2014, has returned to the Bearcats. MacLeod will serve as an assistant coach and director of player performance. Prior to his arrival, MacLeod served as the director of coaching for girls at AFC Lightning in Peachtree City, Ga. His coaching experience also includes time in the Cincinnati area working with Kings Hammer Academy as an assistant coach with its USL PDL side and also was the head coach of the Dayton Dutch Lions (USL W-League), Unite Premier (CUP) and Ohio South ODP.
// STAFFORD RECEIVES HALL CALL
At the end of June, it was announced that Jacquie Stafford, the Bearcats' Director of Operations and wife to head coach Neil Stafford, will be one of six former Central Michigan University student-athletes enshrined in the CMU Marcy Weston Hall of Fame. The former Jacquie Lacek, had standout career for the Chippewas as she still holds program records for single-match goals scored (3) and points in a match (7) while also holding the school record for career assists (19). An NSCAA Scholar-Athlete Second Team honoree and three-time All-MAC selection, Jacquie will be enshrined in a ceremony in Mount Pleasant, Mich., Friday, September 22.
// CLEAN SHEETS
Last year, the Bearcats shut out nine opponents on its way to allowing just 21 goals, which was just over one goal allowed per match. During the season, UC went on a streak of not allowing a goal scored for a span of 311:40, a streak that ranks as the seventh-longest since the start of the 2001 season and spanned three full matches and parts of two others. Once Memphis scored at the 86:35 mark of the match, the Bearcats came out and shut out their next three foes, including a 0-0, double overtime draw with Houston (110:00 minutes). The streak came to an end at the 18:15 mark when USF tallied a goal to tie that match a 1-1. Since Stafford and his staff have taken over the program, UC has recorded stretches of 250 minutes or more of holding a foe scoreless six different times.
// QUICK TO SCORE
Last year, three goals were scored by UC in the opening seven minutes of play with Jaycie Brown finding the back of the net in 1:54 in a match at Memphis. That strike from Brown ranks as the 11th-fastest in program history (dating back to 2001) and the third-fastest goal scored during Stafford's tenure at UC. During the four years Stafford has guided the program, the Bearcats have found the back of the net 17 times in the opening 15 minutes of play with five such goals last year.
// HANGING ON AT THE END
On the opposite end of the time spectrum, the Bearcats also have had a propensity for scoring late in matches. Since the start of the 2001 season, UC has scored 25 goals with 88:03 or later showing on the clock, including 14 in overtime/double-overtime. Three late goals last year made noise, including Gavorski's goal with 14 seconds remaining in double overtime (109:46) to defeat Dayton, 2-1, as goal that ranks as the second latest, surpassed only by Laura Rose's winner at 109:58 (just two seconds from the end of the match) in 2012. An own goal by BU at 89:52 ranks as the 16th latest for UC while Brown's goal at 89:09 at USF pulled the Bearcats level and helped earn a point with a 2-2 draw, a point that was needed to reach the postseason conference tournament.
// ACADEMICALLY SOUND
Last year, the Bearcats collectively sported a 3.51 grade-point average for the year and earned a College Team Academic Award from the NSCAA, an award the program has collected each of the past two years and nine times in total. Individually, 25 of the 30 women on the roster recorded a 3.00 GPA or better during the 2016-17 academic year and were named American Athletic Conference All-Academic. Staying the conference, Vanessa Gilles was one of three UC student-athletes to also be named a 2016-17 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award recipient by the AAC, an award that is give annually to one student-athlete that carries a 3.00 GPA, has strong academic and athletic credentials and serves in the community. Gilles, who was chosen by the Faculty Representatives from around the conference, was the winner for women's soccer, joining Adrian Valles (outdoor track & field, men) and Connor Davis (swimming & diving, men) as award winners.
// UP NEXT
The final non-conference match of the regular season awaits the Bearcats next week as they will travel to Baton Rouge, La., for a 6:00 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) match against the LSU Tigers inside the LSU Soccer Complex. The match will be the final tune-up before the Bearcats play host to conference foes UCF and USF the following week in Cincinnati.