Tickets// THE OPENING WHISTLE
The penultimate week of the regular season awaits the #21 University of Cincinnati women's soccer team this week as the Bearcats are set for their final regular season road matches of 2017 with visits to Houston and SMU slated. The Bearcats, who are 11-1-3 on the year, 4-0-2 in the American Athletic Conference and currently sit tied for third place on the league table, first face the Cougars in Houston at 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET) Thursday before closing the trip with a 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) match with the Mustangs in Dallas.
// 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
Both matches will be streamed live on each host school's web site. The match with Houston can be viewed at UHCougars.com and is subscription based while the SMU match can be watched on SMUMustangs.com for free.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 11-1-3 on the year and 4-0-2 in the American Athletic Conference
• UC is currently on its second, 7-match undefeated streak of the year (5-0-2) after opening the season with a program-record 7-match streak of 6-0-1
• The Bearcats are tied for third place in the AAC table on 14 points with Memphis while UCF (16) and USF (15) remain in the Top 2
• UC remained #21 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and #20 in Soccer America's Top 25 while moving up two spots to #18 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 this week
• UC tied Memphis, 0-0, Sunday despite being a woman down for nearly 77 minutes
• The draw with the Tigers moved UC to 21-0-0 on 'Sunday Fun Day' under Neil Stafford
• The Bearcats defeated Tulsa, 3-2, Thursday night for their then fifth win in a row
• The 2 goals allowed to Tulsa were ended a streak of 588:22 minutes of play that UC had not allowed an opponent to score and were the first two goals conceded in AAC play this year
• Sophie Gorman recorded one goal and one assist in the win over Tulsa and Madison Less posted a career-high eight saves against UM as both were named to the weekly AAC Honor Roll
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats maintained positions in the national rankings this week with the only upward movement coming in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 as UC rose two spots to #16 this week. The Bearcats remained at #21 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll while also holding steady at #20 in the latest Soccer America Top 25 listing. Houston and SMU are not ranked this week.
// RPI RISING
For the first time this year, the Bearcats have slipped outside the Top 20 in the NCAA RPI, but remained in the Top 25 as they enter play with a #22 ranking this week after being ranked #19, #11, #12 and #20 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. According to the latest RPI, UC is 2-1-2 against the current Top 50; 3-1-3 against the Top 100; and 6-1-3 against the Top 150. Houston (116), SMU (78) and ECU (130) are the final three matches remaining this regular season for the Bearcats.
// QUICK RECAPS: 1-0-1 AT HOME LAST WEEK
• Cincinnati went 1-0-1 at home last week, defeating Tulsa (3-2) and drawing Memphis (0-0)
• The two goals allowed to Tulsa were the first in 588:22 of match time for UC and the first allowed to a conference foe this year, a span of five full matches and parts of two others
• The PK goal by Tulsa in the 72' also ended a streak of nearly 600 minutes without allowing a goal to a conference opponent
• Sydney Goins got the game-winner against Tulsa and was assisted by Tiffany Huber and Julie Gavorski on a goal that made it 3-1
• Jill Vetere scored for the second match in a row to get the scoring started with Sophie Gorman assisting on the goal
• Gorman added a goal (assisted by Karli Royer) to put her into the scoring lead in all three categories for the Bearcats, including goals (4), assists (4) and points (12)
• Against Memphis, UC played down a woman for the final 76 minutes after Kiki Lowell was shown a red card at 33:19 into the match
• Despite playing with only 10, UC continued to press forward and led shots, 21-13, while Madison Less kept her sixth clean sheet of the year on defense with a career-high eight saves
// HONORS
Following last weekend's action, both Sophie Gorman and Madison Less were selected to the American Athletic Conference weekly Honor Roll for their performances. It marked the third time Less had landed on the Honor Roll this year while Gorman made her second appearance. The honors are the 15th and 16th that have been earned by Bearcats players this season.
// GORMAN GROOVING
Gorman was honored by the league after having a career game against Tulsa. The true freshman collected one goal, one assist and three points from the Tulsa match to moved atop all three categories this year for the team as she now leads all Bearcats with four goals, four assists and 12 points. She is currently tied with Jill Vetere for the points lead in conference only matches with four on one goal and two helpers (Vetere has two goals).
// LESS SAVES MORE
Less and the Bearcats bounced back from allowing their first two goals in nearly 600 minutes in Thursday's 3-2 win over Tulsa to keep Memphis off the board for 110 minutes in a 0-0 draw. Less recorded a career-high eight saves in the match with the Tigers to record her league-leading sixth shutout and help the Bearcats to their AAC-best 10th shutout of the season. So far this year, Less also ranks 20th in the NCAA with a 0.517 goals against average as well.
// RATED 'VG'
Top Drawer Soccer released its National Top 100 Players to Watch List at the start of October with Vanessa Gilles earning the #19 position on the list, the highest of any player from the AAC. This year, Gilles has continued to dominate the back line and has helped UC to 10 shutouts in 15 matches, the most in the AAC, while adding three goals and six points to the team's total. She has played 6,866 minutes in her career and needs just 35 minutes to tie Kayla Utley for the most played by a field player in program history. Gilles has appeared in 78 matches and started each one, leaving her two shy of entering the Top 8 in program history.
// ROOKIES RANKED
Top Drawer Soccer also released its rankings of the Top 100 Freshmen with a pair of Bearcats earning a spot on the list. Kiki Lowell was ranked #40 and Karli Royer #70, the second and third-highest ranking among rookies in the AAC. The duo joins UCF as the only two schools in the conference to place a pair of individuals on the freshman list.
// KNOW THE FOE: HOUSTON
• Houston enters the match with a 5-8-1 overall record and a 1-5-0 mark in league play having dropped its last five American Athletic Conference matches in a row
• The Cougars are 3-2-1 at home this year with an 0-2-0 mark in league play after losses to both Florida schools two weeks ago
• Selena Peters leads the way on offense with a team-leading six goals and a team-high-tying 12 points that Hanna Dauzat also has recorded (5 goals, 2 assists)
• Rachel Estopare has seen most of the action in goal for the Cougars and holds a 1.87 goals against average having allowed 21 goals in 1012 minutes played while stopped 74 shots and recording two shutouts
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. COUGARS
• UC leads the all-time series, 7-2-1, with Houston and is 6-0-1 in the last seven meetings with UH
• The Bearcats are 3-1-0 in the four matches played in Houston and have won three in a row at UH
• UC has shutout UH in each of the last three meetings, including a pair of 1-0 scores before a 0-0 draw in Cincinnati last year
// KNOW THE FOE: SMU
• The Mustangs enter the weekend with at 6-6-3 record and are 1-4-1 in the AAC standings
• SMU is 4-4-1 at home so far this year, but 0-2-0 in league matches held at Westcott Field in 2017
• Cincinnati will be the fourth ranked team SMU will both face and play host to this year after playing #17 Arkansas (W, 1-0 ot), #16 Oklahoma (T, 0-0) and #10 UCF (L, 0-4) earlier this year
• Vanessa Valadez leads the offense with a team-high 10 points on a team-leading five goals while Haley Thompson leads with six assists
• Catie Brown has played almost all the minutes in goal and holds a 1.53 GAA with 24 goals allowed in 1415 minutes played while tallying 51 saves and four shutouts
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. MUSTANGS
• UC holds a slim 3-2-2 lead in the all-time series with SMU and is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings
• SMU holds the advantage in Dallas with a 2-0-1 record after a 2-2 draw was recorded in the last meeting at SMU (9/24/15)
• All three of UC's wins have been by identical 1-0 scores with both draws carrying 2-2 score lines
// RETURNING TO THE SCENE
The last time the Bearcats stood on Westcott Field in Dallas, they were hoisting the 2015 AAC Championship trophy after defeating USF in penalty kicks and earning the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, their first berth since 2002. UC played a trio of matches that weekend with a 2-0 win over Tulsa before upsetting top-seeded and #10 ranked UConn, 3-2, in overtime after trailing, 2-0, with 11 minutes remaining in regulation. In the final, UC trailed USF, 1-0, with three minutes remaining before Jaycie Brown scored to force overtime and an eventual draw before UC took home the crown on penalties, 4-2.
// STREAK OVER - PART I
With 71:56 showing on the clock and UC leading, 2-0, Tulsa was awarded a penalty kick that Rachel Thun-Blankenship took and scored on, not only halving the UC advantage, but also ending a pair of scoreless streaks the Bearcats has built. The first streak saw the Bearcats hold their opponents scoreless for the preceding 588:22 of match time, dating back to a goal conceded to LSU at 43:37 of the first half on September 10. From there, UC shut out the Tigers the rest of the way and then ran off five shutouts in a row before allowing Tulsa to score. The 588:22 minutes of scoreless play rank as the third-longest in program history (since 2001 when match-by-match records were available) and stands as the longest such streak for a Neil Stafford-led team at UC. All four keepers had a hand in part of a shutout throughout the streak as well.
// STREAK OVER - PART II
The second scoreless streak that was halted was against just AAC foes and dated back to the 2016 season. In the regular season finale at home to Temple, the Owls scored at 69:19 to cut UC's lead to 2-1. From there, UC and USF played to a 0-0 draw in the conference tournament. Jumping back to 2017, the Bearcats then blanked UCF and USF at home and then UConn and Temple on the road before allowing the PK goal to Tulsa. The length of the streak was 592:37 minutes.
// GOING STREAKING... AGAIN
The Bearcats are currently in the midst of a 7-match undefeated streak, going 5-0-2 in that time. The streak is the second 7-match run this year as the team opened the season with a 6-0-1 start before suffering its lone defeat at LSU, 1-0. Not only do both of these streaks rank in tie for the ninth-longest in program history, it marks the first time in program history that a UC team has had two 7-match or longer streaks in the same season.
// WORKING ON THE BEST
Through 15 matches, the Bearcats are 11-1-3 with a 0.834 winning percentage. That percentage ties for the second-best in program history through 15 matches with the 1983 (11-1-3) and 1986 (12-2-1) squads. The 2002 team holds the record at 0.867 after starting the year with a 12-1-2 mark.
// SPREADING IT AROUND
So far this year, 12 different Bearcats have scored at least one goal with sixth others adding at least one assist to give the team 18 different players with at least one point in 2017. This marks the second year in a row and third in the last four years that 12 individuals have tallied points for Neil Stafford and his staff while 10 different players recording an assist marks the fifth year in a row it has happened.
// 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 as she netted her first against MSU.
// DOING LAUNDRY
Prior to the Tulsa match, the Bearcats had not allowed a goal, recording five-consecutive clean sheets. Not only was that five-match streak the first recorded by the Bearcats under Stafford, it also was 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.
// SHARING THE SHEETS
So far this year, the Bearcats have recorded 10 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 six shutouts while Jane Sensibaugh and Claudia Eustaquio have tallied two and 1.5, respectively. 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 15 matches, the Bearcats have allowed just seven goals. That trails just the 2001 team for the fewest goals allowed through the opening 15 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 0.45.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 24 times and hold an impressive 21-0-3 record in those matches after posting wins over Boston University, 2-0, Miami (Fla.), 1-0, Purdue, 2-1, and USF, 1-0, and a 0-0 draw with Memphis last weekend. During those 24 matches, the Bearcats have out scored their foes, 50-11, with the UC defense recording 15 clean sheets in that span.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Not only has Sunday been a fun day at home for the Bearcats under Stafford (21-0-3), but most days at Gettler Stadium fit the bill as well. Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played 46 home matches, posting a 31-6-9 record in that time (.772 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, 88-33 (+55).
// 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 .843 win percentage (28-4-3) in her first five years.
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 45 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks 12th on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons and 11 already in 2017, the seniors now need just two 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).
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.
// 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.
// PLAYING IT CLOSE
The Bearcats have played 15 matches do far in 2017 with nine being decided by one goal. Of those matches, UC has posted an 8-1 record with the lone loss coming in a 1-0 setback on the road to LSU. The three matches not ending tied or decided by one goal this year was a 2-0 victory over visiting Boston University the opening weekend, a 3-0 win at Temple and a 4-0 home win on Senior Night against Morehead State.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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 regular season finale awaits the Bearcats as they will play host to ECU in a 7 p.m. match on Friday, October 27, at Gettler Stadium. The Friday match day will be the same across the board in the AAC as the league's travel partners will all play one another. Tulsa will host Memphis at 2 p.m. ET with USF at UCF, Temple at UConn and ECU at UC all starting at 7 p.m. ET. Houston visits SMU at 8 p.m. ET to round out the day. Following the matches, the final standings will determine the league champion, who also will host the tournament, and which six teams will be in the field.
The penultimate week of the regular season awaits the #21 University of Cincinnati women's soccer team this week as the Bearcats are set for their final regular season road matches of 2017 with visits to Houston and SMU slated. The Bearcats, who are 11-1-3 on the year, 4-0-2 in the American Athletic Conference and currently sit tied for third place on the league table, first face the Cougars in Houston at 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET) Thursday before closing the trip with a 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) match with the Mustangs in Dallas.
// 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
Both matches will be streamed live on each host school's web site. The match with Houston can be viewed at UHCougars.com and is subscription based while the SMU match can be watched on SMUMustangs.com for free.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 11-1-3 on the year and 4-0-2 in the American Athletic Conference
• UC is currently on its second, 7-match undefeated streak of the year (5-0-2) after opening the season with a program-record 7-match streak of 6-0-1
• The Bearcats are tied for third place in the AAC table on 14 points with Memphis while UCF (16) and USF (15) remain in the Top 2
• UC remained #21 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and #20 in Soccer America's Top 25 while moving up two spots to #18 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 this week
• UC tied Memphis, 0-0, Sunday despite being a woman down for nearly 77 minutes
• The draw with the Tigers moved UC to 21-0-0 on 'Sunday Fun Day' under Neil Stafford
• The Bearcats defeated Tulsa, 3-2, Thursday night for their then fifth win in a row
• The 2 goals allowed to Tulsa were ended a streak of 588:22 minutes of play that UC had not allowed an opponent to score and were the first two goals conceded in AAC play this year
• Sophie Gorman recorded one goal and one assist in the win over Tulsa and Madison Less posted a career-high eight saves against UM as both were named to the weekly AAC Honor Roll
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats maintained positions in the national rankings this week with the only upward movement coming in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 as UC rose two spots to #16 this week. The Bearcats remained at #21 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll while also holding steady at #20 in the latest Soccer America Top 25 listing. Houston and SMU are not ranked this week.
// RPI RISING
For the first time this year, the Bearcats have slipped outside the Top 20 in the NCAA RPI, but remained in the Top 25 as they enter play with a #22 ranking this week after being ranked #19, #11, #12 and #20 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. According to the latest RPI, UC is 2-1-2 against the current Top 50; 3-1-3 against the Top 100; and 6-1-3 against the Top 150. Houston (116), SMU (78) and ECU (130) are the final three matches remaining this regular season for the Bearcats.
// QUICK RECAPS: 1-0-1 AT HOME LAST WEEK
• Cincinnati went 1-0-1 at home last week, defeating Tulsa (3-2) and drawing Memphis (0-0)
• The two goals allowed to Tulsa were the first in 588:22 of match time for UC and the first allowed to a conference foe this year, a span of five full matches and parts of two others
• The PK goal by Tulsa in the 72' also ended a streak of nearly 600 minutes without allowing a goal to a conference opponent
• Sydney Goins got the game-winner against Tulsa and was assisted by Tiffany Huber and Julie Gavorski on a goal that made it 3-1
• Jill Vetere scored for the second match in a row to get the scoring started with Sophie Gorman assisting on the goal
• Gorman added a goal (assisted by Karli Royer) to put her into the scoring lead in all three categories for the Bearcats, including goals (4), assists (4) and points (12)
• Against Memphis, UC played down a woman for the final 76 minutes after Kiki Lowell was shown a red card at 33:19 into the match
• Despite playing with only 10, UC continued to press forward and led shots, 21-13, while Madison Less kept her sixth clean sheet of the year on defense with a career-high eight saves
// HONORS
Following last weekend's action, both Sophie Gorman and Madison Less were selected to the American Athletic Conference weekly Honor Roll for their performances. It marked the third time Less had landed on the Honor Roll this year while Gorman made her second appearance. The honors are the 15th and 16th that have been earned by Bearcats players this season.
// GORMAN GROOVING
Gorman was honored by the league after having a career game against Tulsa. The true freshman collected one goal, one assist and three points from the Tulsa match to moved atop all three categories this year for the team as she now leads all Bearcats with four goals, four assists and 12 points. She is currently tied with Jill Vetere for the points lead in conference only matches with four on one goal and two helpers (Vetere has two goals).
// LESS SAVES MORE
Less and the Bearcats bounced back from allowing their first two goals in nearly 600 minutes in Thursday's 3-2 win over Tulsa to keep Memphis off the board for 110 minutes in a 0-0 draw. Less recorded a career-high eight saves in the match with the Tigers to record her league-leading sixth shutout and help the Bearcats to their AAC-best 10th shutout of the season. So far this year, Less also ranks 20th in the NCAA with a 0.517 goals against average as well.
// RATED 'VG'
Top Drawer Soccer released its National Top 100 Players to Watch List at the start of October with Vanessa Gilles earning the #19 position on the list, the highest of any player from the AAC. This year, Gilles has continued to dominate the back line and has helped UC to 10 shutouts in 15 matches, the most in the AAC, while adding three goals and six points to the team's total. She has played 6,866 minutes in her career and needs just 35 minutes to tie Kayla Utley for the most played by a field player in program history. Gilles has appeared in 78 matches and started each one, leaving her two shy of entering the Top 8 in program history.
// ROOKIES RANKED
Top Drawer Soccer also released its rankings of the Top 100 Freshmen with a pair of Bearcats earning a spot on the list. Kiki Lowell was ranked #40 and Karli Royer #70, the second and third-highest ranking among rookies in the AAC. The duo joins UCF as the only two schools in the conference to place a pair of individuals on the freshman list.
// KNOW THE FOE: HOUSTON
• Houston enters the match with a 5-8-1 overall record and a 1-5-0 mark in league play having dropped its last five American Athletic Conference matches in a row
• The Cougars are 3-2-1 at home this year with an 0-2-0 mark in league play after losses to both Florida schools two weeks ago
• Selena Peters leads the way on offense with a team-leading six goals and a team-high-tying 12 points that Hanna Dauzat also has recorded (5 goals, 2 assists)
• Rachel Estopare has seen most of the action in goal for the Cougars and holds a 1.87 goals against average having allowed 21 goals in 1012 minutes played while stopped 74 shots and recording two shutouts
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. COUGARS
• UC leads the all-time series, 7-2-1, with Houston and is 6-0-1 in the last seven meetings with UH
• The Bearcats are 3-1-0 in the four matches played in Houston and have won three in a row at UH
• UC has shutout UH in each of the last three meetings, including a pair of 1-0 scores before a 0-0 draw in Cincinnati last year
// KNOW THE FOE: SMU
• The Mustangs enter the weekend with at 6-6-3 record and are 1-4-1 in the AAC standings
• SMU is 4-4-1 at home so far this year, but 0-2-0 in league matches held at Westcott Field in 2017
• Cincinnati will be the fourth ranked team SMU will both face and play host to this year after playing #17 Arkansas (W, 1-0 ot), #16 Oklahoma (T, 0-0) and #10 UCF (L, 0-4) earlier this year
• Vanessa Valadez leads the offense with a team-high 10 points on a team-leading five goals while Haley Thompson leads with six assists
• Catie Brown has played almost all the minutes in goal and holds a 1.53 GAA with 24 goals allowed in 1415 minutes played while tallying 51 saves and four shutouts
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. MUSTANGS
• UC holds a slim 3-2-2 lead in the all-time series with SMU and is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings
• SMU holds the advantage in Dallas with a 2-0-1 record after a 2-2 draw was recorded in the last meeting at SMU (9/24/15)
• All three of UC's wins have been by identical 1-0 scores with both draws carrying 2-2 score lines
// RETURNING TO THE SCENE
The last time the Bearcats stood on Westcott Field in Dallas, they were hoisting the 2015 AAC Championship trophy after defeating USF in penalty kicks and earning the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, their first berth since 2002. UC played a trio of matches that weekend with a 2-0 win over Tulsa before upsetting top-seeded and #10 ranked UConn, 3-2, in overtime after trailing, 2-0, with 11 minutes remaining in regulation. In the final, UC trailed USF, 1-0, with three minutes remaining before Jaycie Brown scored to force overtime and an eventual draw before UC took home the crown on penalties, 4-2.
// STREAK OVER - PART I
With 71:56 showing on the clock and UC leading, 2-0, Tulsa was awarded a penalty kick that Rachel Thun-Blankenship took and scored on, not only halving the UC advantage, but also ending a pair of scoreless streaks the Bearcats has built. The first streak saw the Bearcats hold their opponents scoreless for the preceding 588:22 of match time, dating back to a goal conceded to LSU at 43:37 of the first half on September 10. From there, UC shut out the Tigers the rest of the way and then ran off five shutouts in a row before allowing Tulsa to score. The 588:22 minutes of scoreless play rank as the third-longest in program history (since 2001 when match-by-match records were available) and stands as the longest such streak for a Neil Stafford-led team at UC. All four keepers had a hand in part of a shutout throughout the streak as well.
// STREAK OVER - PART II
The second scoreless streak that was halted was against just AAC foes and dated back to the 2016 season. In the regular season finale at home to Temple, the Owls scored at 69:19 to cut UC's lead to 2-1. From there, UC and USF played to a 0-0 draw in the conference tournament. Jumping back to 2017, the Bearcats then blanked UCF and USF at home and then UConn and Temple on the road before allowing the PK goal to Tulsa. The length of the streak was 592:37 minutes.
// GOING STREAKING... AGAIN
The Bearcats are currently in the midst of a 7-match undefeated streak, going 5-0-2 in that time. The streak is the second 7-match run this year as the team opened the season with a 6-0-1 start before suffering its lone defeat at LSU, 1-0. Not only do both of these streaks rank in tie for the ninth-longest in program history, it marks the first time in program history that a UC team has had two 7-match or longer streaks in the same season.
// WORKING ON THE BEST
Through 15 matches, the Bearcats are 11-1-3 with a 0.834 winning percentage. That percentage ties for the second-best in program history through 15 matches with the 1983 (11-1-3) and 1986 (12-2-1) squads. The 2002 team holds the record at 0.867 after starting the year with a 12-1-2 mark.
// SPREADING IT AROUND
So far this year, 12 different Bearcats have scored at least one goal with sixth others adding at least one assist to give the team 18 different players with at least one point in 2017. This marks the second year in a row and third in the last four years that 12 individuals have tallied points for Neil Stafford and his staff while 10 different players recording an assist marks the fifth year in a row it has happened.
// 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 as she netted her first against MSU.
// DOING LAUNDRY
Prior to the Tulsa match, the Bearcats had not allowed a goal, recording five-consecutive clean sheets. Not only was that five-match streak the first recorded by the Bearcats under Stafford, it also was 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.
// SHARING THE SHEETS
So far this year, the Bearcats have recorded 10 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 six shutouts while Jane Sensibaugh and Claudia Eustaquio have tallied two and 1.5, respectively. 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 15 matches, the Bearcats have allowed just seven goals. That trails just the 2001 team for the fewest goals allowed through the opening 15 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 0.45.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 24 times and hold an impressive 21-0-3 record in those matches after posting wins over Boston University, 2-0, Miami (Fla.), 1-0, Purdue, 2-1, and USF, 1-0, and a 0-0 draw with Memphis last weekend. During those 24 matches, the Bearcats have out scored their foes, 50-11, with the UC defense recording 15 clean sheets in that span.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Not only has Sunday been a fun day at home for the Bearcats under Stafford (21-0-3), but most days at Gettler Stadium fit the bill as well. Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played 46 home matches, posting a 31-6-9 record in that time (.772 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, 88-33 (+55).
// 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 .843 win percentage (28-4-3) in her first five years.
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 45 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks 12th on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons and 11 already in 2017, the seniors now need just two 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).
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.
// 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.
// PLAYING IT CLOSE
The Bearcats have played 15 matches do far in 2017 with nine being decided by one goal. Of those matches, UC has posted an 8-1 record with the lone loss coming in a 1-0 setback on the road to LSU. The three matches not ending tied or decided by one goal this year was a 2-0 victory over visiting Boston University the opening weekend, a 3-0 win at Temple and a 4-0 home win on Senior Night against Morehead State.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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 regular season finale awaits the Bearcats as they will play host to ECU in a 7 p.m. match on Friday, October 27, at Gettler Stadium. The Friday match day will be the same across the board in the AAC as the league's travel partners will all play one another. Tulsa will host Memphis at 2 p.m. ET with USF at UCF, Temple at UConn and ECU at UC all starting at 7 p.m. ET. Houston visits SMU at 8 p.m. ET to round out the day. Following the matches, the final standings will determine the league champion, who also will host the tournament, and which six teams will be in the field.