Tickets// THE OPENING WHISTLE
The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team, which moved up in all three national rankings this week, will return to American Athletic Conference action this week with a pair of home matches against Tulsa and Memphis. The #21 Bearcats, who are 10-1-2 overall this year and 3-0-1 in the AAC, will open the week at 7 p.m. Thursday night by facing the Golden Hurricane (3-10-3, 1-4-1) at Gettler Stadium. The week closes with the Bearcats meeting the Tigers (9-5-1, 3-2-1) at Gettler in a 1 p.m. contest Sunday afternoon, a match in which UC will wear pink uniforms.
// 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.
// WEAR PINK
On Sunday afternoon, the Bearcats will wear pink tops in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 10-1-2 on the year and 3-0-1 in the American Athletic Conference
• The Bearcats are currently tied with Memphis for third place on the AAC table with 10 points while UCF (16 points) and USF (15) lead the way while also having played two more league matches than the Bearcats so far
• UC has won four matches in a row and are undefeated in its last five (4-0-1)
• The Bearcats have allowed 5 goals all season and have posted five shutouts in a row while not allowing a conference opponent to score (four matches)
• The 5 goals conceded rank as a tie for the fewest in program history through 13 matches, equaling the mark set by the 2001 squad
• UC's current streak of holding its foes scoreless has surpassed 500 minutes (516:23), the third-longest in program history (since 2001 records) and the longest under Neil Stafford
• The Bearcats keepers have done something no other team in the nation has done this year: all four have recorded at least a share of one shutout... to date, Louisiana Tech and UC are the only two teams with three keepers that have at least one full shutout recorded in 2017
• 11 different players have scored at least one goal with four individuals (Gorman, Brown, Gavorski and Gilles) each leading the way with three apiece while a total of 17 Bearcats have recorded at least one point, including five true freshmen
• So far, of those 17 players that have scored at least one point, five scored their first collegiate points as freshmen while one (Vetere) scored her first point as a Bearcat (transferred in)
• With 1 loss so far this year, only the 1983 team had a better start as they didn't lose their second match of the year until the finale on match day 17
• Conversely, the Bearcats have won 10 times in their first 13 matches, tying for the second-most wins through the first 13 (2002, 2001, 1997, 1989, 1986 and 1981) behind only the 1980 team, who had 11 wins in its first 13 matches
// IN THE RANKINGS
For the second week in a row, the Bearcats find themselves in the national rankings and have moved up at least one spot in each of the three listings following their 4-0 victory over Morehead State last week. This week, UC is ranked #18 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25, #20 in Soccer America Top 25 and #21 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25.
// RPI RISING
Although the Bearcats slipped to #19 this week in the RPI, they remained in the Top 20 for the fourth week in a row after being ranked #20, #12 and #11 in the previous weeks. That #11 ranking saw the program's astronomical rise of 216 spots from #227 when Neil Stafford took over the program prior to the start of the 2013 season. In the latest listing, UC has faced four teams that are currently ranked in the Top 50 and hold a 2-1-1 record with wins over #28 USF and #48 Purdue with a tie to #7 UCF and a loss at #27 LSU. Memphis, who UC plays Sunday, is currently ranked #41.
// QUICK RECAP: SWEEPING SUCCESS
• Cincinnati blanked visiting Morehead State, 4-0, Friday before honoring the program's seven seniors (six players and one team manager)
• The win moved UC to 10-1-2 on the year to give the team double-digit wins for the fourth year in a row, something the program has not done since 1994-98
• The four goals scored in the match are the most for the team since a 4-0 win on the road last year at Lipscomb (9/15/16)
• Four different Bearcats scored goals, including senior Jaycie Brown with her seventh career game-winner; Holyn Alf (first collegiate goal); Jill Vetere and Julia Abbott
• Bailey Korhorn recorded her first career point with an assist on Abbott's goal
• Jane Sensibaugh (first half) and Kaleigh Piscioneri (second) combined for the shutout by recording 0 and 2 saves, respectively, in the match
• The defense ran its streak to 516:23 minutes since last allowing a goal to be scored
• Freshman Delaney Riester made her collegiate debut while 27 different Bearcats each saw time
• Senior Vanessa Gilles made her 76th career start, the ninth-most in program history
// HONORS
Following her strong showing, the American Athletic Conference added Taylor Pavlika to its weekly Honor Roll, her first weekly award earned in 2017. Pavlika was once again all over the pitch as she helped keep Morehead State scoreless while also taking most of the long throw-ins and set pieces, including free kicks and corner kicks. Pavlika's award is the 14th of the year for the Bearcats program and the seventh Honor Roll selection.
// DOING LAUNDRY
In the last five matches, the Bearcats have not allowed a goal, recording five-consecutive clean sheets. Not only is the five-match streak the first recorded by the Bearcats under Stafford, it also is the longest since the 2002 season and just the eighth time in program history that a UC team has recorded four or more shutouts in a row. The 2002 team had an eight match streak with the 2001 and 1982 squads posting seven-match streaks. This year's squad now moves past the 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1989 teams who all had four-match streaks.
// GOING STREAKING
Speaking of long streaks, the shutout over the weekend extended the team's current consecutive minutes streak of not allowing a goal to 516:23, the third-longest in program history (since records were available from 2001 to present) and is the longest under Stafford. The last time a ball got past the Bearcats and into the netting was at the 43:37 mark of the first half at LSU when the Tigers scored the eventual game-winner in UC's lone loss this year. Since then, UC has shutout UCF (0-0), USF (1-0), UConn (1-0), Temple (3-0) and Morehead State (4-0).
// SHARING THE SHEETS
So far this year, the Bearcats have recorded nine shutouts. While that is a strong statistic on its own, what is more impressive is that all four keepers on the roster have contributed to those clean sheets. Madison Less has recorded five shutouts while Jane Sensibaugh and Claudia Eustaquio have tallied two and 1.5, respectively. Last week, Kaleigh Piscioneri joined in with a scoreless second half against Morehead State to pick up a share of a shutout. What does it all mean? It means that UC is the only team in the nation that has four keepers with at least a share of one shutout and also has the Bearcats joining Louisiana Tech as the only schools with three keepers that have tallied at least one full shutout.
// MORE ON THE DEFENSE
So far, through 13 matches, the Bearcats have allowed just five goals. That ties the 2001 team for the fewest goals allowed through the opening 13 matches of a season. That year, the Bearcats allowed 14 goals in total, the third-fewest in program history, but also the best for a team that played 18 or matches in a season. That team finished with a program-record 0.58 goals against average, a mark this year's team is trying to challenge as they are currently at 0.37.
// SPREADING IT AROUND
Since not scoring in back-to-back matches at LSU (L, 1-0) and against #14 UCF (T, 0-0), the Bearcats have played four games and scored nine goals, nearly an average of two goals per contest. During that time, eight different Bearcats found the back of the net with only Jill Vetere netting two scores. Also, this group has tallied five 'first' goals with Karli Royer (vs. USF), Kiki Lowell (at Temple), Lexie Kolano (at Temple) and Holyn Alf (vs. Morehead State) each scoring their first collegiate goals while Vetere (at UConn) scored her first goal with the Bearcats after transferring in this season.
// ACCOUNTS OPENED
So far this year, six players have scored their first goals for the Bearcats with four of those being true freshmen securing their first collegiate goals. Sophie Gorman led the way with her first goal in the season-opening 1-0 win against Buffalo and has added two more goals and team-high-tying two assists to her ledger. Three weeks ago, Karli Royer joined the scoring list as her corner kick made its way into the goal for a 1-0 win over USF. Two weeks ago, Jill Vetere (junior) scored at UConn for her first tally after transferring into the program before Kiki Lowell and Lexie Kolano scored at Temple for their firsts. Last week, sophomore Holyn Alf joined in a she netted her first against MSU.
// KNOW THE FOE: TULSA
• Tulsa enters the match with a 3-10-3 record overall and hold a 1-4-1 mark in the American
• The Golden Hurricane are currently 0-3-1 in their last four matches
• Rachel Thun-Blankenship leads the team in all three scoring categories with her three goals, four assists and 10 points on the season
• Courtney McKeon has seen a better part of the minutes as she has saved 91 shots and allowed 27 goals (2.59 GAA) in 939 minutes played (10 matches) while Rebecca Defer has seen 586 minutes in six matches and stopped 40 shots while allowed 15 goals (2.31 GAA) in that time
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. GOLDEN HURRICANE
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series with Tulsa, 4-2-0, and holds a 3-0-0 record in home matches
• Tulsa won the last meeting, 2-0, in Tulsa last year (10/6/16)
• The two teams played back-to-back matches in the 2015 season with UC winning, 1-0, at home on October 25 before taking a 2-0 win in the AAC Quarterfinals en route to winning the title
• The Bearcats hold a 8-3 scoring advantage in matches played at UC, including two shutouts
// KNOW THE FOE: MEMPHIS
• Memphis enters the week with a 9-5-1 record and a 3-2-1 mark in the American
• The Tigers have won two in a row with home wins over Temple (4-0) and UConn (3-2)
• UM has three players with 20 or more points on the year as the Tigers have scored 38 goals
• Elizabeth Woerner leads the team with 10 goals and 22 points while Marie Levasseur has a team-high eight assists and sits second in points with 20 with Mikayla Morton
• Three keepers have seen time with Rachel Ashworth Shepard seeing the most time, logging 1110 minutes in 12 matches and holds a 1.38 GAA after saving 51 shots and allowing 17 goals
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. TIGERS
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series, 10-4-0, and is 4-1-0 in home matches against Memphis
• Despite the advantage, UM has won the last three in a row and four of the last five after the Bearcats won the first nine in a row
• The Tigers won the last meeting, 5-1, in Memphis last year (October 9)
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 23 times and hold an impressive 21-0-2 record in those matches after posting wins over Boston University, 2-0, Miami (Fla.), 1-0, Purdue, 2-1, and USF, 1-0, already this year. During those 23 matches, the Bearcats have out scored their foes, 50-11, with the UC defense recording 14 clean sheets in that span. Sunday, UC and Memphis will meet in the final SFD of the season in a match two of the preseason favorites to win the AAC.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Not only has Sunday been a fun day at home for the Bearcats under Stafford (21-0-2), but most days at Gettler Stadium fit the bill as well. Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played 44 home matches, posting a 30-6-8 record in that time (.773 win percentage). Including 2017, UC has won at least four home contests each season with seven wins in 2014 and 2015, six in 2016, six so far this year and four in 2013. Also, in that time, UC has out-scored its guests, 85-31 (+54).
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons (including 2017 so far), Stafford and his staff have accumulated 30 home wins, the most of any UC women's soccer coach in his/her first five seasons. Meridy Glenn's teams from 1983 to 1987 won 28 matches and posted a .853 win percentage (28-4-2) in her first five seasons.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// LOTS OF WINS
With the 1-0 win over UConn on the road, the Bearcats not only secured their first win in program history in Storrs (1-3-1), they also captured the 50th win of Neil Stafford's UC coaching career. This milestone comes three weeks after Stafford's side won, 2-1, over Purdue to give the gaffer his 150th career coaching victory while also securing the 375th win in UC history.
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 44 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks tied for 12th on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons and 10 already in 2017, the seniors now need just three more wins to reach 47 and crack into the Top 10 in program history (would tie for 8th with the 1996, 1989 and 1983 teams). The senior class also has double-digit victories for the fourth year in a row, a feat that only has been accomplished four times in program history: 1983 (13-10-10-14), 1989 (13-10-10-14), 1997 (15-10-15-16) and 1998 (10-15-16-10).
// BEEN A WHILE
Kiki Lowell's goal was assisted by Cassie Wheldon, giving the junior her first assist since the 2015 season. Wheldon, who one-timed a pass from Taylor Pavlika's corner kick into the box that was then redirected by Lowell, last recorded a helper on November 8, 2015, as she played a through ball to Jaycie Brown who chipped the USF keeper to tie the match at 1-1 in the 88'. The match was the AAC Championship Final that UC eventually won, 4-2, on penalties to grab the league title and its first NCAA berth since 2002.
// LESS LEADING
So far this year, Madison Less has seen the majority of playing time in goal, splitting time with both Jane Sensibaugh and Claudia Eustaquio in 2017. Less has played 670 minutes, made 21 saves and allowed just three goals for a minuscule 0.40 goals against average. The redshirt freshman has tallied a league-best five shutouts, which also ranks her 28th nationally, while sitting second in goals against average (eighth nationally) and save percentage at 87.5 (16th nationally).
// BEEN A WHILE - PART II
Speaking of Eustaquio, the redshirt sophomore got the call in goal Sunday at Temple and turned in three saves to record a clean sheet in UC's 3-0 win. That shutout was the first of her UC career and the sixth overall after she tallied five with Detroit as a freshman. The match at Temple was just the fifth of Eustaquio's UC career and her first since September 5 last year when an injury sidelined her the rest of the way. Oddly enough, in the five matches she has played for the Bearcats, all five have come on the road.
// THAT MAKES THREE
Following the 3-0 win at Temple, the Bearcats not only have eight shutouts recorded this season, but have done so with three different keepers. Less leads the way with five clean sheets while Sensibaugh has recorded two and Eustaquio one. All told, the trio has recorded 36 saves and allowed just five goals scored in 1120 minutes of play.
// GILLES GETTING UP THERE
Last week, Vanessa Gilles earned her 75th career start, which moved her into a tie with Heather Herweh (1999-02) for the ninth-most in program history. She is now just five starts away from tying for eighth with Stacey Kyser (1999-02) with 80 career starts. Gilles also continues to climb higher on the career minutes ledger as she currently sits second all-time with 6,866 minutes played and is chasing only her former backline teammate, Kayla Utley, who played 7,101 minutes from 2013-16.
// PLAYING IT CLOSE
The Bearcats have played 12 matches do far in 2017 with eight being decided by one goal. On those matches, UC has posted a 7-1 record with the lone loss coming in a 1-0 setback on the road to LSU. The two matches not ending tied or decided by one goal this year was a 2-0 victory over visiting Boston University the opening weekend and last week's 3-0 win at Temple.
// LONG STREAK
Prior to the loss at LSU, the team's streak of seven in a row without a defeat stood in a tie for the ninth-best in program history. The 1994 team posted a 14-match streak (12-0-2) from match #8 through #21 while both the 1983 (10-0-3) and 1986 (12-0-1) sides put together 13-match runs, both between match #4 and #16 of their respective seasons. This is the second seven-match or better streak a Stafford-led Bearcats squad has amassed after the team went on a nine-match run in 2015, posting a 6-0-3 record in the process.
// MORE STREAKING
For the fourth year in a row, the Bearcats have recorded a run of five or matches in which they have gone undefeated. After not posting such a streak in Stafford's first year (2013), UC came back in 2014 with a five-match run (3-0-2) before posting its nine-match stretch in 2015 (6-0-3). Last year, the team had a run of six matches in a row without a defeat (5-0-1) before this year's current seven-match streak. Historically, this is just the second time the program has seen four seasons in a row with a five-match or better undefeated streak. The only other instance came in the programs first four years of play, posting streaks of five in 1980, six in 1981 and seven in both 1982 and 1983.
// BEST START
With wins at NKU (Sept. 7) and home to Purdue (Sept. 10), the Bearcats improved to 6-0-1 on the year, their best start in program history. The previous mark was 5-0-1 by the 2010 side before they lost in their seventh match of the season. The start also is another improvement for a team under the direction of Neil Stafford, who took over after the 2012 season. In his first campaign, the Bearcats opened their first seven matches of the year with a 1-6-0 record and now, after 4, 4 and 5 wins in the first seven matches each of the last three years, the Bearcats are 6-0-1 under Stafford.
// MILESTONE - PROGRAM
The win over Purdue marked a pair of milestones as well. First, the win is the 375th in program history. The Bearcats now stand 375-272-59 all-time since becoming a varsity program in time for the start of the 1980 campaign. With the win, the Bearcats now have two milestone wins under Neil Stafford as they won, 3-2, at Duquesne on Sept. 13, 2015, for the program's 350th win.
// MILESTONE - STAFFORD
The second milestone hit in the win over Purdue was for Stafford, who recorded the 150th win of his coaching career. Currently in his 15th collegiate season and his fifth at Cincinnati, Stafford holds a 150-101-32 record as a collegiate women's coach and, with a 48-30-13 record, is approaching his 50th win with the Bearcats.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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 Bearcats return to the road next week for their final regular season away fixtures as they will travel to Texas for a pair of AAC matches. First, UC will play at Houston on Thursday, October 19, in an 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) match with the Cougars. Then, the trip comes to a close Sunday at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) in Dallas as the Bearcats meet SMU.
The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team, which moved up in all three national rankings this week, will return to American Athletic Conference action this week with a pair of home matches against Tulsa and Memphis. The #21 Bearcats, who are 10-1-2 overall this year and 3-0-1 in the AAC, will open the week at 7 p.m. Thursday night by facing the Golden Hurricane (3-10-3, 1-4-1) at Gettler Stadium. The week closes with the Bearcats meeting the Tigers (9-5-1, 3-2-1) at Gettler in a 1 p.m. contest Sunday afternoon, a match in which UC will wear pink uniforms.
// 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.
// WEAR PINK
On Sunday afternoon, the Bearcats will wear pink tops in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 10-1-2 on the year and 3-0-1 in the American Athletic Conference
• The Bearcats are currently tied with Memphis for third place on the AAC table with 10 points while UCF (16 points) and USF (15) lead the way while also having played two more league matches than the Bearcats so far
• UC has won four matches in a row and are undefeated in its last five (4-0-1)
• The Bearcats have allowed 5 goals all season and have posted five shutouts in a row while not allowing a conference opponent to score (four matches)
• The 5 goals conceded rank as a tie for the fewest in program history through 13 matches, equaling the mark set by the 2001 squad
• UC's current streak of holding its foes scoreless has surpassed 500 minutes (516:23), the third-longest in program history (since 2001 records) and the longest under Neil Stafford
• The Bearcats keepers have done something no other team in the nation has done this year: all four have recorded at least a share of one shutout... to date, Louisiana Tech and UC are the only two teams with three keepers that have at least one full shutout recorded in 2017
• 11 different players have scored at least one goal with four individuals (Gorman, Brown, Gavorski and Gilles) each leading the way with three apiece while a total of 17 Bearcats have recorded at least one point, including five true freshmen
• So far, of those 17 players that have scored at least one point, five scored their first collegiate points as freshmen while one (Vetere) scored her first point as a Bearcat (transferred in)
• With 1 loss so far this year, only the 1983 team had a better start as they didn't lose their second match of the year until the finale on match day 17
• Conversely, the Bearcats have won 10 times in their first 13 matches, tying for the second-most wins through the first 13 (2002, 2001, 1997, 1989, 1986 and 1981) behind only the 1980 team, who had 11 wins in its first 13 matches
// IN THE RANKINGS
For the second week in a row, the Bearcats find themselves in the national rankings and have moved up at least one spot in each of the three listings following their 4-0 victory over Morehead State last week. This week, UC is ranked #18 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25, #20 in Soccer America Top 25 and #21 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25.
// RPI RISING
Although the Bearcats slipped to #19 this week in the RPI, they remained in the Top 20 for the fourth week in a row after being ranked #20, #12 and #11 in the previous weeks. That #11 ranking saw the program's astronomical rise of 216 spots from #227 when Neil Stafford took over the program prior to the start of the 2013 season. In the latest listing, UC has faced four teams that are currently ranked in the Top 50 and hold a 2-1-1 record with wins over #28 USF and #48 Purdue with a tie to #7 UCF and a loss at #27 LSU. Memphis, who UC plays Sunday, is currently ranked #41.
// QUICK RECAP: SWEEPING SUCCESS
• Cincinnati blanked visiting Morehead State, 4-0, Friday before honoring the program's seven seniors (six players and one team manager)
• The win moved UC to 10-1-2 on the year to give the team double-digit wins for the fourth year in a row, something the program has not done since 1994-98
• The four goals scored in the match are the most for the team since a 4-0 win on the road last year at Lipscomb (9/15/16)
• Four different Bearcats scored goals, including senior Jaycie Brown with her seventh career game-winner; Holyn Alf (first collegiate goal); Jill Vetere and Julia Abbott
• Bailey Korhorn recorded her first career point with an assist on Abbott's goal
• Jane Sensibaugh (first half) and Kaleigh Piscioneri (second) combined for the shutout by recording 0 and 2 saves, respectively, in the match
• The defense ran its streak to 516:23 minutes since last allowing a goal to be scored
• Freshman Delaney Riester made her collegiate debut while 27 different Bearcats each saw time
• Senior Vanessa Gilles made her 76th career start, the ninth-most in program history
// HONORS
Following her strong showing, the American Athletic Conference added Taylor Pavlika to its weekly Honor Roll, her first weekly award earned in 2017. Pavlika was once again all over the pitch as she helped keep Morehead State scoreless while also taking most of the long throw-ins and set pieces, including free kicks and corner kicks. Pavlika's award is the 14th of the year for the Bearcats program and the seventh Honor Roll selection.
// DOING LAUNDRY
In the last five matches, the Bearcats have not allowed a goal, recording five-consecutive clean sheets. Not only is the five-match streak the first recorded by the Bearcats under Stafford, it also is the longest since the 2002 season and just the eighth time in program history that a UC team has recorded four or more shutouts in a row. The 2002 team had an eight match streak with the 2001 and 1982 squads posting seven-match streaks. This year's squad now moves past the 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1989 teams who all had four-match streaks.
// GOING STREAKING
Speaking of long streaks, the shutout over the weekend extended the team's current consecutive minutes streak of not allowing a goal to 516:23, the third-longest in program history (since records were available from 2001 to present) and is the longest under Stafford. The last time a ball got past the Bearcats and into the netting was at the 43:37 mark of the first half at LSU when the Tigers scored the eventual game-winner in UC's lone loss this year. Since then, UC has shutout UCF (0-0), USF (1-0), UConn (1-0), Temple (3-0) and Morehead State (4-0).
// SHARING THE SHEETS
So far this year, the Bearcats have recorded nine shutouts. While that is a strong statistic on its own, what is more impressive is that all four keepers on the roster have contributed to those clean sheets. Madison Less has recorded five shutouts while Jane Sensibaugh and Claudia Eustaquio have tallied two and 1.5, respectively. Last week, Kaleigh Piscioneri joined in with a scoreless second half against Morehead State to pick up a share of a shutout. What does it all mean? It means that UC is the only team in the nation that has four keepers with at least a share of one shutout and also has the Bearcats joining Louisiana Tech as the only schools with three keepers that have tallied at least one full shutout.
// MORE ON THE DEFENSE
So far, through 13 matches, the Bearcats have allowed just five goals. That ties the 2001 team for the fewest goals allowed through the opening 13 matches of a season. That year, the Bearcats allowed 14 goals in total, the third-fewest in program history, but also the best for a team that played 18 or matches in a season. That team finished with a program-record 0.58 goals against average, a mark this year's team is trying to challenge as they are currently at 0.37.
// SPREADING IT AROUND
Since not scoring in back-to-back matches at LSU (L, 1-0) and against #14 UCF (T, 0-0), the Bearcats have played four games and scored nine goals, nearly an average of two goals per contest. During that time, eight different Bearcats found the back of the net with only Jill Vetere netting two scores. Also, this group has tallied five 'first' goals with Karli Royer (vs. USF), Kiki Lowell (at Temple), Lexie Kolano (at Temple) and Holyn Alf (vs. Morehead State) each scoring their first collegiate goals while Vetere (at UConn) scored her first goal with the Bearcats after transferring in this season.
// ACCOUNTS OPENED
So far this year, six players have scored their first goals for the Bearcats with four of those being true freshmen securing their first collegiate goals. Sophie Gorman led the way with her first goal in the season-opening 1-0 win against Buffalo and has added two more goals and team-high-tying two assists to her ledger. Three weeks ago, Karli Royer joined the scoring list as her corner kick made its way into the goal for a 1-0 win over USF. Two weeks ago, Jill Vetere (junior) scored at UConn for her first tally after transferring into the program before Kiki Lowell and Lexie Kolano scored at Temple for their firsts. Last week, sophomore Holyn Alf joined in a she netted her first against MSU.
// KNOW THE FOE: TULSA
• Tulsa enters the match with a 3-10-3 record overall and hold a 1-4-1 mark in the American
• The Golden Hurricane are currently 0-3-1 in their last four matches
• Rachel Thun-Blankenship leads the team in all three scoring categories with her three goals, four assists and 10 points on the season
• Courtney McKeon has seen a better part of the minutes as she has saved 91 shots and allowed 27 goals (2.59 GAA) in 939 minutes played (10 matches) while Rebecca Defer has seen 586 minutes in six matches and stopped 40 shots while allowed 15 goals (2.31 GAA) in that time
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. GOLDEN HURRICANE
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series with Tulsa, 4-2-0, and holds a 3-0-0 record in home matches
• Tulsa won the last meeting, 2-0, in Tulsa last year (10/6/16)
• The two teams played back-to-back matches in the 2015 season with UC winning, 1-0, at home on October 25 before taking a 2-0 win in the AAC Quarterfinals en route to winning the title
• The Bearcats hold a 8-3 scoring advantage in matches played at UC, including two shutouts
// KNOW THE FOE: MEMPHIS
• Memphis enters the week with a 9-5-1 record and a 3-2-1 mark in the American
• The Tigers have won two in a row with home wins over Temple (4-0) and UConn (3-2)
• UM has three players with 20 or more points on the year as the Tigers have scored 38 goals
• Elizabeth Woerner leads the team with 10 goals and 22 points while Marie Levasseur has a team-high eight assists and sits second in points with 20 with Mikayla Morton
• Three keepers have seen time with Rachel Ashworth Shepard seeing the most time, logging 1110 minutes in 12 matches and holds a 1.38 GAA after saving 51 shots and allowing 17 goals
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. TIGERS
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series, 10-4-0, and is 4-1-0 in home matches against Memphis
• Despite the advantage, UM has won the last three in a row and four of the last five after the Bearcats won the first nine in a row
• The Tigers won the last meeting, 5-1, in Memphis last year (October 9)
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 23 times and hold an impressive 21-0-2 record in those matches after posting wins over Boston University, 2-0, Miami (Fla.), 1-0, Purdue, 2-1, and USF, 1-0, already this year. During those 23 matches, the Bearcats have out scored their foes, 50-11, with the UC defense recording 14 clean sheets in that span. Sunday, UC and Memphis will meet in the final SFD of the season in a match two of the preseason favorites to win the AAC.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Not only has Sunday been a fun day at home for the Bearcats under Stafford (21-0-2), but most days at Gettler Stadium fit the bill as well. Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played 44 home matches, posting a 30-6-8 record in that time (.773 win percentage). Including 2017, UC has won at least four home contests each season with seven wins in 2014 and 2015, six in 2016, six so far this year and four in 2013. Also, in that time, UC has out-scored its guests, 85-31 (+54).
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons (including 2017 so far), Stafford and his staff have accumulated 30 home wins, the most of any UC women's soccer coach in his/her first five seasons. Meridy Glenn's teams from 1983 to 1987 won 28 matches and posted a .853 win percentage (28-4-2) in her first five seasons.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// LOTS OF WINS
With the 1-0 win over UConn on the road, the Bearcats not only secured their first win in program history in Storrs (1-3-1), they also captured the 50th win of Neil Stafford's UC coaching career. This milestone comes three weeks after Stafford's side won, 2-1, over Purdue to give the gaffer his 150th career coaching victory while also securing the 375th win in UC history.
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 44 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks tied for 12th on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons and 10 already in 2017, the seniors now need just three more wins to reach 47 and crack into the Top 10 in program history (would tie for 8th with the 1996, 1989 and 1983 teams). The senior class also has double-digit victories for the fourth year in a row, a feat that only has been accomplished four times in program history: 1983 (13-10-10-14), 1989 (13-10-10-14), 1997 (15-10-15-16) and 1998 (10-15-16-10).
// BEEN A WHILE
Kiki Lowell's goal was assisted by Cassie Wheldon, giving the junior her first assist since the 2015 season. Wheldon, who one-timed a pass from Taylor Pavlika's corner kick into the box that was then redirected by Lowell, last recorded a helper on November 8, 2015, as she played a through ball to Jaycie Brown who chipped the USF keeper to tie the match at 1-1 in the 88'. The match was the AAC Championship Final that UC eventually won, 4-2, on penalties to grab the league title and its first NCAA berth since 2002.
// LESS LEADING
So far this year, Madison Less has seen the majority of playing time in goal, splitting time with both Jane Sensibaugh and Claudia Eustaquio in 2017. Less has played 670 minutes, made 21 saves and allowed just three goals for a minuscule 0.40 goals against average. The redshirt freshman has tallied a league-best five shutouts, which also ranks her 28th nationally, while sitting second in goals against average (eighth nationally) and save percentage at 87.5 (16th nationally).
// BEEN A WHILE - PART II
Speaking of Eustaquio, the redshirt sophomore got the call in goal Sunday at Temple and turned in three saves to record a clean sheet in UC's 3-0 win. That shutout was the first of her UC career and the sixth overall after she tallied five with Detroit as a freshman. The match at Temple was just the fifth of Eustaquio's UC career and her first since September 5 last year when an injury sidelined her the rest of the way. Oddly enough, in the five matches she has played for the Bearcats, all five have come on the road.
// THAT MAKES THREE
Following the 3-0 win at Temple, the Bearcats not only have eight shutouts recorded this season, but have done so with three different keepers. Less leads the way with five clean sheets while Sensibaugh has recorded two and Eustaquio one. All told, the trio has recorded 36 saves and allowed just five goals scored in 1120 minutes of play.
// GILLES GETTING UP THERE
Last week, Vanessa Gilles earned her 75th career start, which moved her into a tie with Heather Herweh (1999-02) for the ninth-most in program history. She is now just five starts away from tying for eighth with Stacey Kyser (1999-02) with 80 career starts. Gilles also continues to climb higher on the career minutes ledger as she currently sits second all-time with 6,866 minutes played and is chasing only her former backline teammate, Kayla Utley, who played 7,101 minutes from 2013-16.
// PLAYING IT CLOSE
The Bearcats have played 12 matches do far in 2017 with eight being decided by one goal. On those matches, UC has posted a 7-1 record with the lone loss coming in a 1-0 setback on the road to LSU. The two matches not ending tied or decided by one goal this year was a 2-0 victory over visiting Boston University the opening weekend and last week's 3-0 win at Temple.
// LONG STREAK
Prior to the loss at LSU, the team's streak of seven in a row without a defeat stood in a tie for the ninth-best in program history. The 1994 team posted a 14-match streak (12-0-2) from match #8 through #21 while both the 1983 (10-0-3) and 1986 (12-0-1) sides put together 13-match runs, both between match #4 and #16 of their respective seasons. This is the second seven-match or better streak a Stafford-led Bearcats squad has amassed after the team went on a nine-match run in 2015, posting a 6-0-3 record in the process.
// MORE STREAKING
For the fourth year in a row, the Bearcats have recorded a run of five or matches in which they have gone undefeated. After not posting such a streak in Stafford's first year (2013), UC came back in 2014 with a five-match run (3-0-2) before posting its nine-match stretch in 2015 (6-0-3). Last year, the team had a run of six matches in a row without a defeat (5-0-1) before this year's current seven-match streak. Historically, this is just the second time the program has seen four seasons in a row with a five-match or better undefeated streak. The only other instance came in the programs first four years of play, posting streaks of five in 1980, six in 1981 and seven in both 1982 and 1983.
// BEST START
With wins at NKU (Sept. 7) and home to Purdue (Sept. 10), the Bearcats improved to 6-0-1 on the year, their best start in program history. The previous mark was 5-0-1 by the 2010 side before they lost in their seventh match of the season. The start also is another improvement for a team under the direction of Neil Stafford, who took over after the 2012 season. In his first campaign, the Bearcats opened their first seven matches of the year with a 1-6-0 record and now, after 4, 4 and 5 wins in the first seven matches each of the last three years, the Bearcats are 6-0-1 under Stafford.
// MILESTONE - PROGRAM
The win over Purdue marked a pair of milestones as well. First, the win is the 375th in program history. The Bearcats now stand 375-272-59 all-time since becoming a varsity program in time for the start of the 1980 campaign. With the win, the Bearcats now have two milestone wins under Neil Stafford as they won, 3-2, at Duquesne on Sept. 13, 2015, for the program's 350th win.
// MILESTONE - STAFFORD
The second milestone hit in the win over Purdue was for Stafford, who recorded the 150th win of his coaching career. Currently in his 15th collegiate season and his fifth at Cincinnati, Stafford holds a 150-101-32 record as a collegiate women's coach and, with a 48-30-13 record, is approaching his 50th win with the Bearcats.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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 Bearcats return to the road next week for their final regular season away fixtures as they will travel to Texas for a pair of AAC matches. First, UC will play at Houston on Thursday, October 19, in an 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) match with the Cougars. Then, the trip comes to a close Sunday at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) in Dallas as the Bearcats meet SMU.