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KALAMAZOO, Mich. – University of Cincinnati men's soccer (2-1-0) will visit Western Michigan (2-0-1) Monday for a 3 p.m. kickoff at the WMU Soccer Complex.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC survived the elements Friday night, topping the visiting IUPUI Jaguars, 2-1, at Gettler Stadium. Facing a 1-0 deficit at halftime, UC really turned it on early in the second half. Sophomore David Sanz (Santander, Spain/IE La Marina) scored his third goal in as many matches with a strike in the 56th minute. Sanz was again involved in a Bearcats score when sophomore forward Austin Smythe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day/Radford) collected his corner kick and found the back of the net for the match-winning goal in the 63rd minute.
// SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan tied Eastern Illinois, 0-0, Friday in Charleston, Illinois resulting in their first non-win of the season. The Broncos took 28 shots during the game with 16 of them being on goal. WMU started the year with wins over LIU Brooklyn (3-2) and Stetson (5-0). The Broncos entered 2017 ranked third in the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Great Lakes Region and were tabbed to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference (MAC)
// WESTERN MICHIGAN SERIES
The all-time series between the two teams is tied at 2-2-0. The Bearcats and Broncos last met on Oct. 10, 2012 when UC dropped a 2-1, double-overtime decision at Gettler Stadium. In UC's last visit to Kalamazoo on Aug. 27, 2011, it prevailed, 3-1.
// SANZ'S STRONG START
Sanz has proven to be an offensive catalyst early on for the Bearcats. In three games to begin 2017, the sophomore has recorded three goals and an assist. Coming into this week, his goal total ranked 17th in the nation and second in the American Athletic Conference, while his total points mark (5) placed 24th in the country and runner-up in the league. For his efforts in the season-opening 3-1 home win over Gardner-Webb, Sanz was named to The American Weekly Honor Roll.
// AMERICAN WEEKLY HONORS
Four University of Cincinnati men's soccer student-athletes garnered American Athletic Conference Weekly Honors Monday as freshman Darryn Commissiong (Pickering, Ontario/St. Mary Catholic) was named Rookie of the Week, freshman Noah Lawrence (Mitchellville, Md.) was picked as Goalkeeper of the Week, junior Malik Suleman (Kumasi, Ghana/Cincinnati State) was selected as Defensive Player of the Week, and sophomore Sanz was tabbed to the Honor Roll.
// YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Bearcats' youth movement continues in 2017 with eight newcomers, on top of 13 newcomers from 2016. Returning underclassmen for this season accounted for 54 percent of the Bearcats scoring last year, led by a team-high five goals by current redshirt sophomore midfielder Ryan Melink (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland). In total, UC brings back five underclassmen who started nine or more matches last season including three -- Patrick Nielsen (Copenhagen, Denmark/Rungsted Gymnasium), Sanz, and West -- who each started every game in 2016.
// NIELSEN HONORED
Nielsen was named the American Athletic Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year as well as was a unanimous selection to the all-conference team. The native Dane is looking to build off of a stellar freshman season in which he was both AAC Second Team and All-Rookie Team selections, in addition to earning All-Ohio Second Team recognition, after tallying two assists while helping anchor the back line of the defense which recorded seven shutouts. As a team, the Bearcats were picked to finish seventh in the league.
// CONTINUING MOMENTUM
UC will look to continue the momentum from their best season in nearly a decade in 2016 in which it compiled a 9-7-1 overall record including a program-high fourth place finish in the American Athletic Conference. The American sent two teams to the 2016 NCAA Tournament including USF, whose only conference loss came on Oct. 1 against the Bearcats. UC had 13 newcomers on the team this past season including 11 true freshmen.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – University of Cincinnati men's soccer (2-1-0) will visit Western Michigan (2-0-1) Monday for a 3 p.m. kickoff at the WMU Soccer Complex.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC survived the elements Friday night, topping the visiting IUPUI Jaguars, 2-1, at Gettler Stadium. Facing a 1-0 deficit at halftime, UC really turned it on early in the second half. Sophomore David Sanz (Santander, Spain/IE La Marina) scored his third goal in as many matches with a strike in the 56th minute. Sanz was again involved in a Bearcats score when sophomore forward Austin Smythe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day/Radford) collected his corner kick and found the back of the net for the match-winning goal in the 63rd minute.
// SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan tied Eastern Illinois, 0-0, Friday in Charleston, Illinois resulting in their first non-win of the season. The Broncos took 28 shots during the game with 16 of them being on goal. WMU started the year with wins over LIU Brooklyn (3-2) and Stetson (5-0). The Broncos entered 2017 ranked third in the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Great Lakes Region and were tabbed to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference (MAC)
// WESTERN MICHIGAN SERIES
The all-time series between the two teams is tied at 2-2-0. The Bearcats and Broncos last met on Oct. 10, 2012 when UC dropped a 2-1, double-overtime decision at Gettler Stadium. In UC's last visit to Kalamazoo on Aug. 27, 2011, it prevailed, 3-1.
// SANZ'S STRONG START
Sanz has proven to be an offensive catalyst early on for the Bearcats. In three games to begin 2017, the sophomore has recorded three goals and an assist. Coming into this week, his goal total ranked 17th in the nation and second in the American Athletic Conference, while his total points mark (5) placed 24th in the country and runner-up in the league. For his efforts in the season-opening 3-1 home win over Gardner-Webb, Sanz was named to The American Weekly Honor Roll.
// AMERICAN WEEKLY HONORS
Four University of Cincinnati men's soccer student-athletes garnered American Athletic Conference Weekly Honors Monday as freshman Darryn Commissiong (Pickering, Ontario/St. Mary Catholic) was named Rookie of the Week, freshman Noah Lawrence (Mitchellville, Md.) was picked as Goalkeeper of the Week, junior Malik Suleman (Kumasi, Ghana/Cincinnati State) was selected as Defensive Player of the Week, and sophomore Sanz was tabbed to the Honor Roll.
// YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Bearcats' youth movement continues in 2017 with eight newcomers, on top of 13 newcomers from 2016. Returning underclassmen for this season accounted for 54 percent of the Bearcats scoring last year, led by a team-high five goals by current redshirt sophomore midfielder Ryan Melink (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland). In total, UC brings back five underclassmen who started nine or more matches last season including three -- Patrick Nielsen (Copenhagen, Denmark/Rungsted Gymnasium), Sanz, and West -- who each started every game in 2016.
// NIELSEN HONORED
Nielsen was named the American Athletic Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year as well as was a unanimous selection to the all-conference team. The native Dane is looking to build off of a stellar freshman season in which he was both AAC Second Team and All-Rookie Team selections, in addition to earning All-Ohio Second Team recognition, after tallying two assists while helping anchor the back line of the defense which recorded seven shutouts. As a team, the Bearcats were picked to finish seventh in the league.
// CONTINUING MOMENTUM
UC will look to continue the momentum from their best season in nearly a decade in 2016 in which it compiled a 9-7-1 overall record including a program-high fourth place finish in the American Athletic Conference. The American sent two teams to the 2016 NCAA Tournament including USF, whose only conference loss came on Oct. 1 against the Bearcats. UC had 13 newcomers on the team this past season including 11 true freshmen.