Tickets// THE OPENING WHISTLE
The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team returns to its home turf for the final time this regular season as the Bearcats will play host to the visiting Pirate of ECU in a 7 p.m. contest Friday night at Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats enter the match with an 11-3-3 overall record and sit tied for third in the American Athletic Conference standings with a 4-2-2 record (14 points) while the Pirates enter with a 6-9-2 mark and sit 10th in the league with three points and a 1-7-0 record.
// 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. As always, fans are encouraged to join in the conversation using the hashtag #Bearcats.
// 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.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 11-3-3 on the year and 4-2-2 in the American Athletic Conference
• The Bearcats are tied with Memphis for third place on the AAC table as both sides currently have 14 points heading into the final match day of 2017
• Speaking of the conference tournament, the Bearcats have clinched a spot in the six-team event and, based of various combinations of results this week, could finish as high as third and as low as fifth in the standings and tournament seedings
• UC is coming off two consecutive losses on the road last week (at Houston, at SMU) and will look to grab three points from ECU to secure its spot in third place in the league
• With a win Friday, the Bearcats would go undefeated at home for just the fifth time in program history with the previous instance coming in 1996 (7-0-2)
• The UC defense continues to play well as it has allowed just 10 goals this year, which is currently the fewest in a season in program history with the 1984 team's 11 allowed setting the mark
• With 10 shutouts recorded this year, the senior class now holds the record for 39 career shutouts during their time, surpassing the 2002 squad's 38
// DECISION DAYS
Thursday (one) and Friday (four) will see the final regular season matches of 2017 be played by all 10 conference schools as each set to face their respective travel partners with much to be decided. Here is the slate:
• Thursday (8pm ET) - Houston (7th) at SMU (6th)... decides the sixth and final AAC qualifier
• Friday (7pm ET) - ECU (10th) at Cincinnati (t-3rd)... UC looking to finish third overall
• Friday (7pm ET) - USF (2nd) at UCF (1st)... will decide the AAC champion, tournament host
• Friday (7pm ET) - Temple (8th) at UConn (5th)... Huskies looking for help to move up from 5th
• Friday (8pm ET) - Memphis (t-3rd) at Tulsa (9th)... Memphis trying to leap over UC
Once the matches conclude Friday evening, the field will be set for the tournament that will be held November 1 (#6 vs. #3, #5 vs. #4), November 3 (semifinals) and November 5 (final) at the home of the regular season champion. A full bracket and matches will be announced as soon as they are made available by the AAC.
// QUICK RECAPS: TOUGH ROAD TRIP
• Cincinnati went 0-2-0 on the road last week, dropping matches at Houston (1-2) and SMU (0-1)
• Freshman Sophie Gorman recorded the lone goal of the weekend as she netted her team-leading fifth score of the season
• Jaycie Brown picked up the assist on Gorman's goal at Houston
• Madison Less got the start in both matches and recorded 10 saves, including six at Houston
• Vanessa Gilles started both matches to record her 79th and 80th career appearances in the Starting XI, moving her into a tie for eighth on the program's all-time Top 10
• Gilles also moved to the top of the minutes played list (field players) in program history after playing 180 minutes this past weekend, surpassing her former teammate, Kayla Utley
// HALTING THE STREAK
The Bearcats are coming off a pair of losses over the weekend after falling at Houston, 2-1, and SMU, 1-0. Heading into the ECU match, UC will look to prevent a three-match losing streak, which would be just the fourth in head coach Neil Stafford's five years in charge of the Bearcats. In his time with the program, UC has dropped three matches in a row just three times, including two in 2013 and one in 2014. Since then, UC has lost back-to-back matches just four other times.
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats fell out of the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and the Soccer America Top 25, but remained ranked in this week's Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 at #24.
// IN THE RPI
For the first time this year, the Bearcats have slipped outside the Top 25 in the NCAA RPI as they hold the #44 position this week. Previously, the team had been ranked #19, #11, #12, #20 and #22 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; 3-3-2 against the Top 100; and 6-3-2 against the Top 150. ECU, the Bearcats' final regular season opponent, is ranked #163 this week.
// SENIOR CLASS SHUTOUTS
Back on October 15, the Bearcats shutout Memphis in a scoreless draw for UC's 10th clean sheet of the year. The blanking not only was the 10th of the year, but also the 39th in the past four years, giving the senior class of 2017 the most shutouts by a single class in program history. This year's class posted shutout totals of 8, 12, 9 and now 10 in their four years with the program to surpass the Class of 2002, who posted 38 in their tenure with totals of 4, 6, 15 and 13.
// WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
What has been the difference that has led to UC's upward trend? Goal differential. Prior to Neil Stafford and his staff taking over the program, the Bearcats had conceded more goals than it scored in nine of the previous 10 campaigns. After a 2013 season in which UC was a -7, Stafford's side has turned things around, posting goal differentials of 16, 11, 9 and 14 currently. This year's seniors have helped in a big way as their class total is +50, the highest for a class since 2003 (+50).
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
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.
// GOING FOR ZERO
Heading into Friday's match with ECU, the Bearcats hold a 7-0-3 record at home. With a win or tie, the would become just the fifth team in program history to go undefeated at home in a season and the first since the 1996 squad posted a 7-0-2 record. A win would also give the team its eight victory of the year, which would be the most home wins in a season in program history. With seven wins currently, the 2017 team is one 11 squads tied for the most single-season home wins.
// AMONG THE BEST
Through 17 matches, the Bearcats are 11-3-3 with a 0.735 winning percentage. That percentage ranks as the seventh-best in program history with the 1989 and 2001 squads both posting win percentages of 0.824 during their seasons to lead the way.
// 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).
// KNOW THE FOE: ECU
• The Pirates enter the match with a 6-9-2 overall record and are 1-7-0 in the American (10th)
• ECU opened the year with a five-match undefeated streak (4-0-1), including opening the year with an overtime victory at home to Dayton, the same thing UC did one year ago
• Despite their record, ECU has played their foes tough, drawing #5 Virginia (1-1) and playing in 11 matches that have been decided by one goal (5-6 record)
• Courtney Cash leads the way for the Pirates with six goals and 14 points while adding two assists
• Michelle Newhouse has seen much of the action in goal for ECU, carrying a 1.35 goals-against average after stopping 71 shots and allowing 22 goals in 1465 minutes of play
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. PIRATES
• Cincinnati holds a 6-1-1 advantage in the all-time series and has won three in a row, all by way of shut out (3-0, 3-0, 2-0)
• The Bearcats also hold the edge in matches played in Cincinnati with a 3-1-0 record after winning the last meeting, 3-0, on October 16, 2015
• In the eight matches played, UC has posted five shutouts and out-scored ECU, 14-4
// GORMAN GROOVING
Sophie Gorman continues to be a spark plug for the Bearcats as the rookie leads the team in goals with five, assists with four and points with 14 in all matches while leading or tying in each of the three categories in conference matches with two goals (tied with Jill Vetere), assists with two (tied with Jaycie Brown) and points with six. So far this year, two of her goals have gone down as the game-winner and ties her for second on the team for that honor with Julie Gavorski while Brown leads the way with three.
// STAT RANKINGS - NCAA
According to the latest NCAA statistical database, the Bearcats team ranks in the Top 50 nationally in four categories, including seventh overall with shots per game with 18.59. UC is 23rd in shutout percentage (58.8), 32nd in save percentage (84.8) and 36th in win percentage (73.5). Individually, Madison Less is ranked 42nd nationally in goals-against average (0.69).
// STAT RANKINGS - AAC
On a conference level, the Bearcats also rank highly as they lead the way in two categories and are second in two more. UC leads in shots per game (18.59) and shutouts (10) while sitting second in both goals allowed (10) and goals-against average (0.57). Individually, Gorman is tied for 10th in goals scored (5), Brown is tied for third in game-winning goals scored (3) and Less appears highly in three categories: tied for first in shutouts (6), second in GAA (0.69) and second in save percentage (83.0).
// 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.
// 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.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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
Although the Bearcats have qualified to the AAC tournament already, their opponent, match day and match time all are unsettled. The conference will announce match-ups later this weekend once all matches have been played and any and all tie-breaking scenarios figured.
The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team returns to its home turf for the final time this regular season as the Bearcats will play host to the visiting Pirate of ECU in a 7 p.m. contest Friday night at Gettler Stadium. The Bearcats enter the match with an 11-3-3 overall record and sit tied for third in the American Athletic Conference standings with a 4-2-2 record (14 points) while the Pirates enter with a 6-9-2 mark and sit 10th in the league with three points and a 1-7-0 record.
// 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. As always, fans are encouraged to join in the conversation using the hashtag #Bearcats.
// 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.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 11-3-3 on the year and 4-2-2 in the American Athletic Conference
• The Bearcats are tied with Memphis for third place on the AAC table as both sides currently have 14 points heading into the final match day of 2017
• Speaking of the conference tournament, the Bearcats have clinched a spot in the six-team event and, based of various combinations of results this week, could finish as high as third and as low as fifth in the standings and tournament seedings
• UC is coming off two consecutive losses on the road last week (at Houston, at SMU) and will look to grab three points from ECU to secure its spot in third place in the league
• With a win Friday, the Bearcats would go undefeated at home for just the fifth time in program history with the previous instance coming in 1996 (7-0-2)
• The UC defense continues to play well as it has allowed just 10 goals this year, which is currently the fewest in a season in program history with the 1984 team's 11 allowed setting the mark
• With 10 shutouts recorded this year, the senior class now holds the record for 39 career shutouts during their time, surpassing the 2002 squad's 38
// DECISION DAYS
Thursday (one) and Friday (four) will see the final regular season matches of 2017 be played by all 10 conference schools as each set to face their respective travel partners with much to be decided. Here is the slate:
• Thursday (8pm ET) - Houston (7th) at SMU (6th)... decides the sixth and final AAC qualifier
• Friday (7pm ET) - ECU (10th) at Cincinnati (t-3rd)... UC looking to finish third overall
• Friday (7pm ET) - USF (2nd) at UCF (1st)... will decide the AAC champion, tournament host
• Friday (7pm ET) - Temple (8th) at UConn (5th)... Huskies looking for help to move up from 5th
• Friday (8pm ET) - Memphis (t-3rd) at Tulsa (9th)... Memphis trying to leap over UC
Once the matches conclude Friday evening, the field will be set for the tournament that will be held November 1 (#6 vs. #3, #5 vs. #4), November 3 (semifinals) and November 5 (final) at the home of the regular season champion. A full bracket and matches will be announced as soon as they are made available by the AAC.
// QUICK RECAPS: TOUGH ROAD TRIP
• Cincinnati went 0-2-0 on the road last week, dropping matches at Houston (1-2) and SMU (0-1)
• Freshman Sophie Gorman recorded the lone goal of the weekend as she netted her team-leading fifth score of the season
• Jaycie Brown picked up the assist on Gorman's goal at Houston
• Madison Less got the start in both matches and recorded 10 saves, including six at Houston
• Vanessa Gilles started both matches to record her 79th and 80th career appearances in the Starting XI, moving her into a tie for eighth on the program's all-time Top 10
• Gilles also moved to the top of the minutes played list (field players) in program history after playing 180 minutes this past weekend, surpassing her former teammate, Kayla Utley
// HALTING THE STREAK
The Bearcats are coming off a pair of losses over the weekend after falling at Houston, 2-1, and SMU, 1-0. Heading into the ECU match, UC will look to prevent a three-match losing streak, which would be just the fourth in head coach Neil Stafford's five years in charge of the Bearcats. In his time with the program, UC has dropped three matches in a row just three times, including two in 2013 and one in 2014. Since then, UC has lost back-to-back matches just four other times.
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats fell out of the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and the Soccer America Top 25, but remained ranked in this week's Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 at #24.
// IN THE RPI
For the first time this year, the Bearcats have slipped outside the Top 25 in the NCAA RPI as they hold the #44 position this week. Previously, the team had been ranked #19, #11, #12, #20 and #22 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; 3-3-2 against the Top 100; and 6-3-2 against the Top 150. ECU, the Bearcats' final regular season opponent, is ranked #163 this week.
// SENIOR CLASS SHUTOUTS
Back on October 15, the Bearcats shutout Memphis in a scoreless draw for UC's 10th clean sheet of the year. The blanking not only was the 10th of the year, but also the 39th in the past four years, giving the senior class of 2017 the most shutouts by a single class in program history. This year's class posted shutout totals of 8, 12, 9 and now 10 in their four years with the program to surpass the Class of 2002, who posted 38 in their tenure with totals of 4, 6, 15 and 13.
// WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
What has been the difference that has led to UC's upward trend? Goal differential. Prior to Neil Stafford and his staff taking over the program, the Bearcats had conceded more goals than it scored in nine of the previous 10 campaigns. After a 2013 season in which UC was a -7, Stafford's side has turned things around, posting goal differentials of 16, 11, 9 and 14 currently. This year's seniors have helped in a big way as their class total is +50, the highest for a class since 2003 (+50).
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
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.
// GOING FOR ZERO
Heading into Friday's match with ECU, the Bearcats hold a 7-0-3 record at home. With a win or tie, the would become just the fifth team in program history to go undefeated at home in a season and the first since the 1996 squad posted a 7-0-2 record. A win would also give the team its eight victory of the year, which would be the most home wins in a season in program history. With seven wins currently, the 2017 team is one 11 squads tied for the most single-season home wins.
// AMONG THE BEST
Through 17 matches, the Bearcats are 11-3-3 with a 0.735 winning percentage. That percentage ranks as the seventh-best in program history with the 1989 and 2001 squads both posting win percentages of 0.824 during their seasons to lead the way.
// 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).
// KNOW THE FOE: ECU
• The Pirates enter the match with a 6-9-2 overall record and are 1-7-0 in the American (10th)
• ECU opened the year with a five-match undefeated streak (4-0-1), including opening the year with an overtime victory at home to Dayton, the same thing UC did one year ago
• Despite their record, ECU has played their foes tough, drawing #5 Virginia (1-1) and playing in 11 matches that have been decided by one goal (5-6 record)
• Courtney Cash leads the way for the Pirates with six goals and 14 points while adding two assists
• Michelle Newhouse has seen much of the action in goal for ECU, carrying a 1.35 goals-against average after stopping 71 shots and allowing 22 goals in 1465 minutes of play
// IN THE SERIES: BEARCATS vs. PIRATES
• Cincinnati holds a 6-1-1 advantage in the all-time series and has won three in a row, all by way of shut out (3-0, 3-0, 2-0)
• The Bearcats also hold the edge in matches played in Cincinnati with a 3-1-0 record after winning the last meeting, 3-0, on October 16, 2015
• In the eight matches played, UC has posted five shutouts and out-scored ECU, 14-4
// GORMAN GROOVING
Sophie Gorman continues to be a spark plug for the Bearcats as the rookie leads the team in goals with five, assists with four and points with 14 in all matches while leading or tying in each of the three categories in conference matches with two goals (tied with Jill Vetere), assists with two (tied with Jaycie Brown) and points with six. So far this year, two of her goals have gone down as the game-winner and ties her for second on the team for that honor with Julie Gavorski while Brown leads the way with three.
// STAT RANKINGS - NCAA
According to the latest NCAA statistical database, the Bearcats team ranks in the Top 50 nationally in four categories, including seventh overall with shots per game with 18.59. UC is 23rd in shutout percentage (58.8), 32nd in save percentage (84.8) and 36th in win percentage (73.5). Individually, Madison Less is ranked 42nd nationally in goals-against average (0.69).
// STAT RANKINGS - AAC
On a conference level, the Bearcats also rank highly as they lead the way in two categories and are second in two more. UC leads in shots per game (18.59) and shutouts (10) while sitting second in both goals allowed (10) and goals-against average (0.57). Individually, Gorman is tied for 10th in goals scored (5), Brown is tied for third in game-winning goals scored (3) and Less appears highly in three categories: tied for first in shutouts (6), second in GAA (0.69) and second in save percentage (83.0).
// 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.
// 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.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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
Although the Bearcats have qualified to the AAC tournament already, their opponent, match day and match time all are unsettled. The conference will announce match-ups later this weekend once all matches have been played and any and all tie-breaking scenarios figured.