TicketsCINCINNATI - Not only did the season for the University of Cincinnati women's soccer open tonight, but so did the heavens as the Bearcats battled through adverse conditions Thursday night to claim a 2-1, come from behind victory over visiting Eastern Kentucky at Gettler Stadium amid a deluge of rain. After an early deficit (9') and a 56 minute lightning delay (15'), the Bearcats went on the attack and fought through a continuous downpour to score twice in the second half of play to secure the victory.
// QUICK NOTES
• With the victory, the Bearcats moved to 1-0-0 on the year while the visiting Colonels fell to 0-1-0
• Cincinnati is now 4-0-0 all-time against Eastern Kentucky
• The Bearcats have now won three season openers in a row and improved to 26-12-1 all-time in their first match of the season
• Cincinnati also improved to 27-10-2 all-time in their first home contest of the season
• Just 14 minutes into the match, lightning moved into the area and forced the match to be delayed 56 minutes
• Brandi Thomsen was credited with the winning goal as she stuck with the loose ball from Jill Vetere's shot, poking it home for the 2-1 lead and the first score of her collegiate career
• Thomsen's goal marked the second year in a row a true freshman won the opening game for UC after Sophie Gorman scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Buffalo in the 2017 opener
• Kiki Lowell scored the second goal of her career, this time heading home a set piece that tied the match at 1-1
• Of the eight newcomers that saw action in the match, four earned a place in the Starting XI, including rookies Vanessa DiNardo, Annie Metzger and Camryn Hartman, while transfer Sydney Kilgore also was called upon to start
• Claudia Eustaquio earned the win in goal, stopping two of the three shots she faced in her first action since October 1, 2017, when she earned the shutout in a 3-0 win at Temple
// CINCINNATI 0:1 EASTERN KENTUCKY
With a threat of weather on the horizon, the threat of attack continued to ramp up for the visitors, an attack that gave the Colonels a 1-0 lead in the 9'. EKU carried the ball down the flank where Katie Shaffer played a long ball in toward the back post with Erin Torrence running under it. Torrence jumped and met the ball in the air and headed it down and into the netting for a 1-0 lead.
// CINCINNATI 1:1 EASTERN KENTUCKY
Following the weather delay and halftime break, the Bearcats went on the offensive and were rewarded for their advances in the 64' as they pulled one back to knot the score at 1-1 in a very similar fashion to EKU's earlier score. After being fouled 25 yards out, Vetere took the free kick and drove the ball into the box on the set piece that saw Lowell climb over her defender and head the ball down and into the net. It marked her second career goal after she scored once last year at Temple.
// CINCINNATI 2:1 EASTERN KENTUCKY
Just five minutes later, in the 69', Thomsen tallied the game winner. The play began with several passes being held up by the accumulating water on the pitch. After gaining control, Vetere sent an offering on frame that was saved by EKU keeper Billie Clark. The ball squirted loose on the wet ground and Thomsen was there to poke the ball into the net before Clark could recover.
// DEBUTANTES
Eight newcomers saw their first action in a UC kit, including six true freshman. The rookies that started included the trio of DiNardo, Metzger and Hartman while Thomsen, Kiley Keehan and Emi Carlo each saw minutes off the bench. Kilgore, a transfer from Indiana, played 78 minutes in her debut while sophomore newcomer Ying Zhan also played her first minutes for the Bearcats.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats will hit the road this weekend to cap their first matches of the season as they will venture to Charlottesville, Va., to face #8 Virginia in a 5 p.m. start on Sunday evening.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
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.
// EXPERIENCE UC
The University of Cincinnati department of athletics announced an initiative entitled Experience UC, geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming & diving and track & field home events.
// QUICK NOTES
• With the victory, the Bearcats moved to 1-0-0 on the year while the visiting Colonels fell to 0-1-0
• Cincinnati is now 4-0-0 all-time against Eastern Kentucky
• The Bearcats have now won three season openers in a row and improved to 26-12-1 all-time in their first match of the season
• Cincinnati also improved to 27-10-2 all-time in their first home contest of the season
• Just 14 minutes into the match, lightning moved into the area and forced the match to be delayed 56 minutes
• Brandi Thomsen was credited with the winning goal as she stuck with the loose ball from Jill Vetere's shot, poking it home for the 2-1 lead and the first score of her collegiate career
• Thomsen's goal marked the second year in a row a true freshman won the opening game for UC after Sophie Gorman scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Buffalo in the 2017 opener
• Kiki Lowell scored the second goal of her career, this time heading home a set piece that tied the match at 1-1
• Of the eight newcomers that saw action in the match, four earned a place in the Starting XI, including rookies Vanessa DiNardo, Annie Metzger and Camryn Hartman, while transfer Sydney Kilgore also was called upon to start
• Claudia Eustaquio earned the win in goal, stopping two of the three shots she faced in her first action since October 1, 2017, when she earned the shutout in a 3-0 win at Temple
// CINCINNATI 0:1 EASTERN KENTUCKY
With a threat of weather on the horizon, the threat of attack continued to ramp up for the visitors, an attack that gave the Colonels a 1-0 lead in the 9'. EKU carried the ball down the flank where Katie Shaffer played a long ball in toward the back post with Erin Torrence running under it. Torrence jumped and met the ball in the air and headed it down and into the netting for a 1-0 lead.
// CINCINNATI 1:1 EASTERN KENTUCKY
Following the weather delay and halftime break, the Bearcats went on the offensive and were rewarded for their advances in the 64' as they pulled one back to knot the score at 1-1 in a very similar fashion to EKU's earlier score. After being fouled 25 yards out, Vetere took the free kick and drove the ball into the box on the set piece that saw Lowell climb over her defender and head the ball down and into the net. It marked her second career goal after she scored once last year at Temple.
// CINCINNATI 2:1 EASTERN KENTUCKY
Just five minutes later, in the 69', Thomsen tallied the game winner. The play began with several passes being held up by the accumulating water on the pitch. After gaining control, Vetere sent an offering on frame that was saved by EKU keeper Billie Clark. The ball squirted loose on the wet ground and Thomsen was there to poke the ball into the net before Clark could recover.
// DEBUTANTES
Eight newcomers saw their first action in a UC kit, including six true freshman. The rookies that started included the trio of DiNardo, Metzger and Hartman while Thomsen, Kiley Keehan and Emi Carlo each saw minutes off the bench. Kilgore, a transfer from Indiana, played 78 minutes in her debut while sophomore newcomer Ying Zhan also played her first minutes for the Bearcats.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats will hit the road this weekend to cap their first matches of the season as they will venture to Charlottesville, Va., to face #8 Virginia in a 5 p.m. start on Sunday evening.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
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.
// EXPERIENCE UC
The University of Cincinnati department of athletics announced an initiative entitled Experience UC, geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming & diving and track & field home events.