Tickets// THE OPENING WHISTLE
The postseason gets underway this week for the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team as the Bearcats are set to compete in the 2017 American Athletic Conference Tournament that will be held Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex in Orlando, Fla. The Bearcats, who carry a 12-3-3 regular season record and a 5-2-2 mark in the AAC, enter the tournament as the #3 seed and will face #6 SMU Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the first of two quarterfinal matches. The winner of the match will advance to the semifinals on Friday against #2 USF.
// 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 five matches of the AAC Tournament will be broadcast live this week with both matches in the quarterfinals and both in the semifinals being shown live on the American Digital Network (TheAmerican.org/Watch) with the championship final airing live Sunday at ESPNews.
// THE STAKES
The AAC Tournament will be played to not only crown a tournament champion, but also to determine which team will earn the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament field that will be announce Monday night. While it is tough to win three games in five days, it has happened before as the Bearcats did just that in 2015 as the #4 seed, downing #5 Tulsa (2-0), #1 UConn (3-2, OT) and #2 USF (T, 1-1) on PKs, 4-2, to earn the league's automatic berth in Dallas.
// IN THE FIELD
The six-team tournament field consists of #1 seed UCF (23 points), the regular season champion, #2 USF (22 points), #3 Cincinnati (17 points), #4 Memphis (15 points), #5 UConn (15 points), the defending tournament champion, and #6 SMU (13 points). The Mustangs captured the final tournament berth in their final match of the season with a win over Houston.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati closed the regular season with a 12-3-3 overall record and a 5-2-2 mark in the American Athletic Conference, finishing third on 17 points
• The Bearcats went 8-0-3 at home this season, just the fifth undefeated record in program history and the most wins in a single season at home
• The five conference victories ties the 2015 squad for the most in the Stafford era and the marks just the third time since 2002 (6) that UC won 5 conference matches in a season
• The third-place finish is the best regular season placement for the Bearcats as members of the AAC, surpassing the fourth-place showings of both 2016 and 2015
• UC's #3 seed also is its highest in the AAC era, surpassing the #4 seed earned in 2015
• Three Bearcats earned weekly awards following the 1-0 victory over ECU, including Vanessa Gilles (4th time this year) and Madison Less (1st) being name the Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Week, respectively, and Sophie Gorman (3rd) earning a place on the Honor Roll
• One day later, three Bearcats earned postseason conference honors, including Gilles being named the Co-Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference
• Gorman (Second Team) and Kiki Lowell both were named to the All-Rookie Team
// GILLES TOP DEFENDER
On Tuesday, the AAC announced its annual season awards and, following a vote of the conference coaches, it was announced that Vanessa Gilles has been selected as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year, sharing the honor with UCF's Kathellen Sousa. This is the first time Gilles has earned the postseason award after being selected as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year in both 2016 and 2017. Gilles, who Top Drawer Soccer ranks as the #19 player in the nation (#1 in the AAC), tallied three goals on the season and anchored a stingy defense that allowed just 10 goals in 18 matches while shutting out 11 opponents along the way.
// NOTING GILLES' HONOR
• The award for Gilles is the first major award earned for the Bearcats as members of the AAC
• Gilles' honor is the first for the program since 2001 when Christy Hoffman earned the same award from the Conference USA coaches' vote
• The defensive honor is the fifth earned by a Bearcat in program history, joining Hoffman (2001), Tracy Pohl (1997), Nicole Thorne (1996) and Julie McCaffrey (1995), all of whom won the award from Conference USA
• Gilles' award also is the seventh major award for the Bearcats program as Paulette Angilecchia was twice named the Conference USA Player of the Year (1995-96)
// ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
The defensive award was not the only honor earned by Gilles as she was one of three Bearcats to earn all-conference accolades. Gilles was tapped for the First Team for the second year in a row while freshman Sophie Gorman was named to the Second Team. Gorman and fellow freshman Kiki Lowell were both added to the All-Rookie-Team as well.
// NOTING ALL-CONFERENCE HISTORY
• Gilles earned her fourth conference team selection after earning spots on the First Team (2016), Second Team (2015) and Rookie Team (2014) previously
• Her fourth selection makes her just the third Bearcats player to accomplish the feat, joining Tina Matlock (195-98 / R-2-1-1) and Tracy Pohl (1994-97 / R-2-3-1) on that list
• Gilles is now just the sixth UC player to earn multiple first-team selections in a career and first to do so since the 2001-2002 seasons when Heather Herweh was honored by Conference USA
• Gorman is the third UC player to be named to two teams in one year, joining Lisa Stephens in 2001 and Kim Jedlo in 2002 on the list as those two were each named third team and all-rookie
• Gorman and Lowell makes is three times in five years with two Bearcats on the all-rookie team
• UC received four all-conference honors for the second year in a row and makes it five years in a row with at least three honorees in the AAC
// QUICK RECAP: WIN CLOSES IT OUT
• Cincinnati won its lone match of the week, downing ECU, 1-0, on a rain-soaked Friday night
• The win closed out an undefeated home season with UC posting an 8-0-3 record in 2017
• Sophie Gorman netted the lone goal of the match as she banged home a deflected shot in the 42' to record her sixth goal of the season and her third game-winning goal
• Madison Less recorded six saves in the match for her seventh shutout of the year
• Vanessa Gilles started her 81st career match, the eighth-most in program history
// FEELING HONORED
Three Bearcats were selected for weekly awards following the team's 1-0 win over ECU to close out the regular season. Vanessa Gilles was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season while Madison Less earned Goalkeeper of the Week honors for the first time in 2017. Sophie Gorman rounded out the award recipients as she was placed on the Honor Roll for the third time this year. All told, the Bearcats collected 19 awards in 2017, including nine player of the week accolades (6 defense, 2 offense, 1 goalkeeper).
// AWARDS HAUL
For the 2017 season, the Bearcats collected 19 weekly awards from the American, including nine major awards and 10 Honor Roll selections. Here is the breakdown:
• Offensive POTW: Julie Gavorski (1), Jaycie Brown (1)
• Defensive POTW: Vanessa Gilles (4), Kiki Lowell (2)
• Goalkeeper OTW: Madison Less (1)
• Honor Roll: Less (3), Sophie Gorman (3), Gavorski (1), Taylor Pavlika (1), Karli Royer (1), Jill Vetere (1)
// KNOW THE FOE: SMU
• The Mustangs finished the regular season with a 9-6-3 record and a 4-4-1 mark in the AAC to finish sixth on 13 points
• SMU won its last four matches of the season with all four coming via shutouts
• Vanessa Valadez leads the scoring effort for the Mustangs with five goals and 10 points while three other players have recorded at least three goals and nine points in 2017
• GK Catie Brown is tied with UC's Madison Less for the most shutouts this season with seven
• The all-time series is tied at 3-3-2 following SMU's 1-0 win over UC on October 22
• The Bearcats and Mustangs have met once before in a neutral site contest with UC claiming a 2-0 victory on October 14, 1989, in Madison, Wis.
• Including the neutral site match, UC holds a 3-0-1 record in matches played away from Dallas
// THE LAST TIME: CIN 0:1 SMU
The Bearcats fell at SMU, 1-0, on October 22 in the previous meeting between the two sides. As regulation was winding down, SMU worked the ball down the sideline before Allie Thornton crossed a ball into the box from the end line with Madison Less punching the ball up and off the cross bar. But, when the ball came down, UC was unable to clear the line as Katia Novi was there and hit the ball into the net for a 1-0 SMU lead with under 10 minutes to play. The Bearcats were unable to equalize and suffered just their third defeat of the year.
// TOURNAMENT HISTORY - AAC ERA
• Cincinnati is one of four teams that have qualified to the AAC Tournament all five year the event has taken place, joining UCF, USF and UConn on the list
• So far, it has been all or nothing for the Bearcats as they were either bounced from the tournament in their first match (2013, 2014 and 2016) or the won it all (2015)
• Should the Bearcats advance past SMU Wednesday, they would take on #2 seed USF to mark the fourth tournament in a row the Bearcats and Bulls have met in the tournament (0-1-2)
• This year will be the second time UC has played in an AAC Tournment match in the state of Florida after falling to #3 USF, 3-2, in the 2014 quarterfinals as the #6 seed
// TOURNAMENT HISTORY - ALL-TIME
• Dating back to 1980 and the MIWSL Tournament, the Bearcats have competed in 15 conference tournaments with the 2017 edition marking their 16th appearance
• Including 2017, the Bearcats have competed in the following tournaments: MIWSL (1), Great Midwest Conference (1), Conference USA (8), BIG EAST (1) and AAC (5)
• Cincinnati has won seven conference tournament titles, including 1 each in the MIWSL (1980), Great Midwest (1994) and AAC (2015) and 4 in Conference USA (1996, 1997, 2001, 2002)
// IN THE RANKINGS
Top Drawer Soccer has the Bearcats listed at #24 for the second week in a row while UC is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25. UC is not ranked in the Soccer America Top 25.
// IN THE RPI
The Bearcats, after slipping outside the Top 25 in the NCAA RPI last week, climbed three position to #41 this week and will look for a solid run at the AAC Tournament to help bolster its chances of earning an at-large berth should they come up short in the tournament. Previously, the team had been ranked #19, #11, #12, #20 and #22 earlier this year with the #11 ranking seeing 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 2-2-2 against the current Top 50; 3-2-2 against the Top 100; and 6-3-2 against the Top 150. The teams that made the AAC field include UCF (RPI: 6), USF (25), Memphis (46), SMU (69) and UConn (103).
// BROUGHT HOME THE BAGEL
With Friday's 1-0 win over ECU, the 2017 Bearcats did something only four other UC squads had done in program history: post an undefeated home record. With the win, UC closed out the home slate with an 8-0-3 record, the first undefeated home slate since 1996. Here is a look at some of the stats and notes following the 8-0-3 record:
• The team's .950 win percentage at home is the third-best in program history behind only the 1982 (7-0-0) and 1984 (5-0-0) teams
• The 8 home wins is a program record, surpassing 10 previous times UC had recorded 7 wins
• The Bearcats posted eight shutouts at home, which ties the 2015 side for the most in a single season in program history
• UC allowed just 0.45 goals per match at home this year, one of only nine campaigns win which the Bearcats allowed one-half of one goal or less
// GORMAN GOALS
To get the 1-0 victory, Sophie Gorman did her thing and scored in the 42' as a shot was deflected by the defense right to Gorman, who put the ball over the keeper's head and under the crossbar for what would be the winner. What makes that goal even more interesting is that it not only won the game, but also book-ended the regular season with winning goals from Gorman as the freshman scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Buffalo in the season opener before Friday's victorious strike.
// SHARING THE SHEETS
So far this year, the Bearcats have recorded 11 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 seven 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.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played 47 home matches, posting a 32-6-9 record in that time (.777 win percentage). Including 2017, UC has won at least four home contests each season with eight in 2017, seven wins in 2014 and 2015, six in 2016 and four in 2013. Also, in that time, UC has out-scored its guests, 89-33 (+56).
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons (including 2017), Stafford and his staff have accumulated 31 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.
// 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.
// SENIOR CLASS SHUTOUTS
Back on October 15, the Bearcats shutout Memphis in a scoreless draw for UC's 10th clean sheet of the year and added its 11th with a 1-0 win over ECU. The latest blanking not only was the 11th of the year, but also the 40th 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 11 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 15 currently. This year's seniors have helped in a big way as their class total is +51, the highest for a class since 2002 (+65).
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 46 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks tied for 11th on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons and 12 already in 2017, the seniors now need just one more win 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).
// STAT RANKINGS - NCAA
According to the latest NCAA statistical database, the Bearcats team ranks in the Top 40 nationally in six categories, including eighth overall with shots per game with 18.33. UC also is 16th in save percentage (.861), 17th in both goals-against average (.536) and shutout percentage (.611), 34th in win percentage (.750) and tied for 37th in corner kicks per game (5.83). Madison Less is ranked individually in the Top 50 in three categories, including 29th in GAA (.632), 33rd in save percentage (.849) and tied for 46th in shutouts (7).
// STAT RANKINGS - AAC
On a conference level, the Bearcats also rank highly as they lead the way in three categories and are second in two more. UC leads in shots per game (18.33), shutouts (11) and corner kicks (5.83) while sitting second in both goals allowed (8) and goals against average (.54). Individually, three Bearcats hold Top 10 rankings, including Madison Less, Sophie Gorman and Jaycie Brown. Less is tied for first in shutouts (7) and sits second in both GAA (.63) and save percentage (.849). Gorman and Brown are tied for third with three game-winning goals while Gorman also sits tied for eighth in both points (16) and goals scored (6).
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// 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 11 shutouts in 16 matches, the most in the AAC, while adding three goals and six points to the team's total. She has played 7,336 minutes in her career to pass former teammate Kayla Utley for the most played by a field player in program history. Gilles has appeared in 81 matches and started each one, ranking her eighth on the program's all-time Top 10 listing for career starts.
// 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 six others adding at least one assist to give the team 18 different players with at least one point. 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// HELLO! MY NAME IS...
The program has welcomed 10 new players to the roster this year, including one transfer and nine true freshmen. The transfer comes in the form of Jill Vetere, a native of Mason, Ohio, who is returning home following two years at the University of Louisville. The nine-member freshman class includes Abby Brauning (Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame), Sophie Gorman (Cincinnati McNicholas), Riley Gruenbaum (Plain City, Ohio), Lexie Kolano (Trafford, Pa.), Bailey Korhorn (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Kiki Lowell (Kitchener, Ontario), Delaney Riester (Nobelsville, Ind.), Karli Royer (Westerville, Ohio) and Jane Sensibaugh (Solon, Ohio).
// BIG AWARDS
Looking back at their high school careers, two newcomers on the 2017 roster bring with them USC (formerly NSCAA) All-America accolades earned during their prep careers. Vetere earned All-America honors in 2014 as a senior while also being named the Ohio Division I Player of the Year. Gorman was a two-time All-American, being selected for the honor in both 2014 and 2016.
// MAC IS BACK
Players were not the only new addition to the program this offseason as Gavin MacLeod, a former volunteer assistant with the staff in 2014, has returned to the Bearcats. MacLeod will serve as an assistant coach and director of player performance. Prior to his arrival, MacLeod served as the director of coaching for girls at AFC Lightning in Peachtree City, Ga. His coaching experience also includes time in the Cincinnati area working with Kings Hammer Academy as an assistant coach with its USL PDL side and also was the head coach of the Dayton Dutch Lions (USL W-League), Unite Premier (CUP) and Ohio South ODP.
// 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
Following the conclusion of the tournament, the Bearcats will await word from the NCAA to see if they will be included in the national tournament that begins next week. The selection show will be shown on NCAA.com on Monday, Novemeber 6.
The postseason gets underway this week for the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team as the Bearcats are set to compete in the 2017 American Athletic Conference Tournament that will be held Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex in Orlando, Fla. The Bearcats, who carry a 12-3-3 regular season record and a 5-2-2 mark in the AAC, enter the tournament as the #3 seed and will face #6 SMU Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the first of two quarterfinal matches. The winner of the match will advance to the semifinals on Friday against #2 USF.
// 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 five matches of the AAC Tournament will be broadcast live this week with both matches in the quarterfinals and both in the semifinals being shown live on the American Digital Network (TheAmerican.org/Watch) with the championship final airing live Sunday at ESPNews.
// THE STAKES
The AAC Tournament will be played to not only crown a tournament champion, but also to determine which team will earn the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament field that will be announce Monday night. While it is tough to win three games in five days, it has happened before as the Bearcats did just that in 2015 as the #4 seed, downing #5 Tulsa (2-0), #1 UConn (3-2, OT) and #2 USF (T, 1-1) on PKs, 4-2, to earn the league's automatic berth in Dallas.
// IN THE FIELD
The six-team tournament field consists of #1 seed UCF (23 points), the regular season champion, #2 USF (22 points), #3 Cincinnati (17 points), #4 Memphis (15 points), #5 UConn (15 points), the defending tournament champion, and #6 SMU (13 points). The Mustangs captured the final tournament berth in their final match of the season with a win over Houston.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati closed the regular season with a 12-3-3 overall record and a 5-2-2 mark in the American Athletic Conference, finishing third on 17 points
• The Bearcats went 8-0-3 at home this season, just the fifth undefeated record in program history and the most wins in a single season at home
• The five conference victories ties the 2015 squad for the most in the Stafford era and the marks just the third time since 2002 (6) that UC won 5 conference matches in a season
• The third-place finish is the best regular season placement for the Bearcats as members of the AAC, surpassing the fourth-place showings of both 2016 and 2015
• UC's #3 seed also is its highest in the AAC era, surpassing the #4 seed earned in 2015
• Three Bearcats earned weekly awards following the 1-0 victory over ECU, including Vanessa Gilles (4th time this year) and Madison Less (1st) being name the Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Week, respectively, and Sophie Gorman (3rd) earning a place on the Honor Roll
• One day later, three Bearcats earned postseason conference honors, including Gilles being named the Co-Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference
• Gorman (Second Team) and Kiki Lowell both were named to the All-Rookie Team
// GILLES TOP DEFENDER
On Tuesday, the AAC announced its annual season awards and, following a vote of the conference coaches, it was announced that Vanessa Gilles has been selected as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year, sharing the honor with UCF's Kathellen Sousa. This is the first time Gilles has earned the postseason award after being selected as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year in both 2016 and 2017. Gilles, who Top Drawer Soccer ranks as the #19 player in the nation (#1 in the AAC), tallied three goals on the season and anchored a stingy defense that allowed just 10 goals in 18 matches while shutting out 11 opponents along the way.
// NOTING GILLES' HONOR
• The award for Gilles is the first major award earned for the Bearcats as members of the AAC
• Gilles' honor is the first for the program since 2001 when Christy Hoffman earned the same award from the Conference USA coaches' vote
• The defensive honor is the fifth earned by a Bearcat in program history, joining Hoffman (2001), Tracy Pohl (1997), Nicole Thorne (1996) and Julie McCaffrey (1995), all of whom won the award from Conference USA
• Gilles' award also is the seventh major award for the Bearcats program as Paulette Angilecchia was twice named the Conference USA Player of the Year (1995-96)
// ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
The defensive award was not the only honor earned by Gilles as she was one of three Bearcats to earn all-conference accolades. Gilles was tapped for the First Team for the second year in a row while freshman Sophie Gorman was named to the Second Team. Gorman and fellow freshman Kiki Lowell were both added to the All-Rookie-Team as well.
// NOTING ALL-CONFERENCE HISTORY
• Gilles earned her fourth conference team selection after earning spots on the First Team (2016), Second Team (2015) and Rookie Team (2014) previously
• Her fourth selection makes her just the third Bearcats player to accomplish the feat, joining Tina Matlock (195-98 / R-2-1-1) and Tracy Pohl (1994-97 / R-2-3-1) on that list
• Gilles is now just the sixth UC player to earn multiple first-team selections in a career and first to do so since the 2001-2002 seasons when Heather Herweh was honored by Conference USA
• Gorman is the third UC player to be named to two teams in one year, joining Lisa Stephens in 2001 and Kim Jedlo in 2002 on the list as those two were each named third team and all-rookie
• Gorman and Lowell makes is three times in five years with two Bearcats on the all-rookie team
• UC received four all-conference honors for the second year in a row and makes it five years in a row with at least three honorees in the AAC
// QUICK RECAP: WIN CLOSES IT OUT
• Cincinnati won its lone match of the week, downing ECU, 1-0, on a rain-soaked Friday night
• The win closed out an undefeated home season with UC posting an 8-0-3 record in 2017
• Sophie Gorman netted the lone goal of the match as she banged home a deflected shot in the 42' to record her sixth goal of the season and her third game-winning goal
• Madison Less recorded six saves in the match for her seventh shutout of the year
• Vanessa Gilles started her 81st career match, the eighth-most in program history
// FEELING HONORED
Three Bearcats were selected for weekly awards following the team's 1-0 win over ECU to close out the regular season. Vanessa Gilles was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season while Madison Less earned Goalkeeper of the Week honors for the first time in 2017. Sophie Gorman rounded out the award recipients as she was placed on the Honor Roll for the third time this year. All told, the Bearcats collected 19 awards in 2017, including nine player of the week accolades (6 defense, 2 offense, 1 goalkeeper).
// AWARDS HAUL
For the 2017 season, the Bearcats collected 19 weekly awards from the American, including nine major awards and 10 Honor Roll selections. Here is the breakdown:
• Offensive POTW: Julie Gavorski (1), Jaycie Brown (1)
• Defensive POTW: Vanessa Gilles (4), Kiki Lowell (2)
• Goalkeeper OTW: Madison Less (1)
• Honor Roll: Less (3), Sophie Gorman (3), Gavorski (1), Taylor Pavlika (1), Karli Royer (1), Jill Vetere (1)
// KNOW THE FOE: SMU
• The Mustangs finished the regular season with a 9-6-3 record and a 4-4-1 mark in the AAC to finish sixth on 13 points
• SMU won its last four matches of the season with all four coming via shutouts
• Vanessa Valadez leads the scoring effort for the Mustangs with five goals and 10 points while three other players have recorded at least three goals and nine points in 2017
• GK Catie Brown is tied with UC's Madison Less for the most shutouts this season with seven
• The all-time series is tied at 3-3-2 following SMU's 1-0 win over UC on October 22
• The Bearcats and Mustangs have met once before in a neutral site contest with UC claiming a 2-0 victory on October 14, 1989, in Madison, Wis.
• Including the neutral site match, UC holds a 3-0-1 record in matches played away from Dallas
// THE LAST TIME: CIN 0:1 SMU
The Bearcats fell at SMU, 1-0, on October 22 in the previous meeting between the two sides. As regulation was winding down, SMU worked the ball down the sideline before Allie Thornton crossed a ball into the box from the end line with Madison Less punching the ball up and off the cross bar. But, when the ball came down, UC was unable to clear the line as Katia Novi was there and hit the ball into the net for a 1-0 SMU lead with under 10 minutes to play. The Bearcats were unable to equalize and suffered just their third defeat of the year.
// TOURNAMENT HISTORY - AAC ERA
• Cincinnati is one of four teams that have qualified to the AAC Tournament all five year the event has taken place, joining UCF, USF and UConn on the list
• So far, it has been all or nothing for the Bearcats as they were either bounced from the tournament in their first match (2013, 2014 and 2016) or the won it all (2015)
• Should the Bearcats advance past SMU Wednesday, they would take on #2 seed USF to mark the fourth tournament in a row the Bearcats and Bulls have met in the tournament (0-1-2)
• This year will be the second time UC has played in an AAC Tournment match in the state of Florida after falling to #3 USF, 3-2, in the 2014 quarterfinals as the #6 seed
// TOURNAMENT HISTORY - ALL-TIME
• Dating back to 1980 and the MIWSL Tournament, the Bearcats have competed in 15 conference tournaments with the 2017 edition marking their 16th appearance
• Including 2017, the Bearcats have competed in the following tournaments: MIWSL (1), Great Midwest Conference (1), Conference USA (8), BIG EAST (1) and AAC (5)
• Cincinnati has won seven conference tournament titles, including 1 each in the MIWSL (1980), Great Midwest (1994) and AAC (2015) and 4 in Conference USA (1996, 1997, 2001, 2002)
// IN THE RANKINGS
Top Drawer Soccer has the Bearcats listed at #24 for the second week in a row while UC is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25. UC is not ranked in the Soccer America Top 25.
// IN THE RPI
The Bearcats, after slipping outside the Top 25 in the NCAA RPI last week, climbed three position to #41 this week and will look for a solid run at the AAC Tournament to help bolster its chances of earning an at-large berth should they come up short in the tournament. Previously, the team had been ranked #19, #11, #12, #20 and #22 earlier this year with the #11 ranking seeing 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 2-2-2 against the current Top 50; 3-2-2 against the Top 100; and 6-3-2 against the Top 150. The teams that made the AAC field include UCF (RPI: 6), USF (25), Memphis (46), SMU (69) and UConn (103).
// BROUGHT HOME THE BAGEL
With Friday's 1-0 win over ECU, the 2017 Bearcats did something only four other UC squads had done in program history: post an undefeated home record. With the win, UC closed out the home slate with an 8-0-3 record, the first undefeated home slate since 1996. Here is a look at some of the stats and notes following the 8-0-3 record:
• The team's .950 win percentage at home is the third-best in program history behind only the 1982 (7-0-0) and 1984 (5-0-0) teams
• The 8 home wins is a program record, surpassing 10 previous times UC had recorded 7 wins
• The Bearcats posted eight shutouts at home, which ties the 2015 side for the most in a single season in program history
• UC allowed just 0.45 goals per match at home this year, one of only nine campaigns win which the Bearcats allowed one-half of one goal or less
// GORMAN GOALS
To get the 1-0 victory, Sophie Gorman did her thing and scored in the 42' as a shot was deflected by the defense right to Gorman, who put the ball over the keeper's head and under the crossbar for what would be the winner. What makes that goal even more interesting is that it not only won the game, but also book-ended the regular season with winning goals from Gorman as the freshman scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Buffalo in the season opener before Friday's victorious strike.
// SHARING THE SHEETS
So far this year, the Bearcats have recorded 11 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 seven 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.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played 47 home matches, posting a 32-6-9 record in that time (.777 win percentage). Including 2017, UC has won at least four home contests each season with eight in 2017, seven wins in 2014 and 2015, six in 2016 and four in 2013. Also, in that time, UC has out-scored its guests, 89-33 (+56).
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons (including 2017), Stafford and his staff have accumulated 31 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.
// 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.
// SENIOR CLASS SHUTOUTS
Back on October 15, the Bearcats shutout Memphis in a scoreless draw for UC's 10th clean sheet of the year and added its 11th with a 1-0 win over ECU. The latest blanking not only was the 11th of the year, but also the 40th 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 11 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 15 currently. This year's seniors have helped in a big way as their class total is +51, the highest for a class since 2002 (+65).
// CHASING WINS - SENIORS
The 2017 seniors have won 46 matches in their time at UC, which currently ranks tied for 11th on the all-time class wins list. Having won 10, 13 and 11 matches in the last three seasons and 12 already in 2017, the seniors now need just one more win 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).
// STAT RANKINGS - NCAA
According to the latest NCAA statistical database, the Bearcats team ranks in the Top 40 nationally in six categories, including eighth overall with shots per game with 18.33. UC also is 16th in save percentage (.861), 17th in both goals-against average (.536) and shutout percentage (.611), 34th in win percentage (.750) and tied for 37th in corner kicks per game (5.83). Madison Less is ranked individually in the Top 50 in three categories, including 29th in GAA (.632), 33rd in save percentage (.849) and tied for 46th in shutouts (7).
// STAT RANKINGS - AAC
On a conference level, the Bearcats also rank highly as they lead the way in three categories and are second in two more. UC leads in shots per game (18.33), shutouts (11) and corner kicks (5.83) while sitting second in both goals allowed (8) and goals against average (.54). Individually, three Bearcats hold Top 10 rankings, including Madison Less, Sophie Gorman and Jaycie Brown. Less is tied for first in shutouts (7) and sits second in both GAA (.63) and save percentage (.849). Gorman and Brown are tied for third with three game-winning goals while Gorman also sits tied for eighth in both points (16) and goals scored (6).
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// 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 11 shutouts in 16 matches, the most in the AAC, while adding three goals and six points to the team's total. She has played 7,336 minutes in her career to pass former teammate Kayla Utley for the most played by a field player in program history. Gilles has appeared in 81 matches and started each one, ranking her eighth on the program's all-time Top 10 listing for career starts.
// 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 six others adding at least one assist to give the team 18 different players with at least one point. 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// 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.
// HELLO! MY NAME IS...
The program has welcomed 10 new players to the roster this year, including one transfer and nine true freshmen. The transfer comes in the form of Jill Vetere, a native of Mason, Ohio, who is returning home following two years at the University of Louisville. The nine-member freshman class includes Abby Brauning (Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame), Sophie Gorman (Cincinnati McNicholas), Riley Gruenbaum (Plain City, Ohio), Lexie Kolano (Trafford, Pa.), Bailey Korhorn (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Kiki Lowell (Kitchener, Ontario), Delaney Riester (Nobelsville, Ind.), Karli Royer (Westerville, Ohio) and Jane Sensibaugh (Solon, Ohio).
// BIG AWARDS
Looking back at their high school careers, two newcomers on the 2017 roster bring with them USC (formerly NSCAA) All-America accolades earned during their prep careers. Vetere earned All-America honors in 2014 as a senior while also being named the Ohio Division I Player of the Year. Gorman was a two-time All-American, being selected for the honor in both 2014 and 2016.
// MAC IS BACK
Players were not the only new addition to the program this offseason as Gavin MacLeod, a former volunteer assistant with the staff in 2014, has returned to the Bearcats. MacLeod will serve as an assistant coach and director of player performance. Prior to his arrival, MacLeod served as the director of coaching for girls at AFC Lightning in Peachtree City, Ga. His coaching experience also includes time in the Cincinnati area working with Kings Hammer Academy as an assistant coach with its USL PDL side and also was the head coach of the Dayton Dutch Lions (USL W-League), Unite Premier (CUP) and Ohio South ODP.
// 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
Following the conclusion of the tournament, the Bearcats will await word from the NCAA to see if they will be included in the national tournament that begins next week. The selection show will be shown on NCAA.com on Monday, Novemeber 6.