TicketsCINCINNATI - The weekly awards from the American Athletic Conference were announced today with two members of the University of Cincinnati women's soccer program earning accolades, including Claudia Eustaquio and Kiki Lowell. Eustaquio was tabbed as the AAC Goalkeeper of the Week while Lowell earned a selection to the AAC Honor Roll. Both played pivotal roles in UC remaining undefeated at home following a 0-0 draw with #16 Kansas last week.
// MAKING STOPS
Eustaquio came up big in Thursday's scoreless draw with the visiting Jayhawks as she halted six shots to preserve her first clean sheet of the 2018 season. Eustaquio made her third appearance of the season and doubled her save total in the process as the Bearcats kept Kansas off the scoreboard for the first time this season after they had scored 11 times in its previous six matches.
The weekly award is the first of any kind for Eustaquio as a member of the Bearcats program and marks her second career weekly award when including her one season with Detroit Mercy (2015). That year, on September 14, she was tabbed as the Horizon League's Defensive Player of the Week after helping the Titans to three-consecutive shutouts.
Eustaquio is the third Bearcats keeper to be honored by the AAC since joining the league in 2013. Madison Less was honored once last year (10/30/17) while Natalie Smith was a four-time honoree, being tabbed once each in 2013 and 2016 with two more honors in 2015. When counting the four major categories (offense, defense, goalkeeper and rookie), Eustaquio's honor is the 31st earned for the Bearcats and the second this year after Brandi Thomsen was named the Rookie of the Week on August 20.
// NO GOALS A-LOWELL-ED
Lowell earned a place on the Honor Roll this week as she played strong in both matches of the weekend. First, she played the full 110 minutes in the 0-0 tie with #16 KU and then battled the heat and humidity in Alabama as she played 84 of the 90 minutes against #10 Auburn. Against the Jayhawks, Lowell continually battled for the ball and came up with a huge play late in regulation as she chased down an attacking KU player who was moving in on goal only to step in and knock the ball away for Eustaquio to smother, preventing a chance on goal with under two minutes remaining. Lowell also was sharp against the Tigers as she blocked a trio of shots and was also able to carry the ball out of the defensive third to start counter attacks the opposite direction.
While this is the first Honor Roll selection for Lowell, it is not her first career weekly award from the AAC. As a freshman last year, Lowell was twice named the AAC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts, including selections in back-to-back weeks (September 25 and October 2). With her Honor Roll placement, Lowell becomes the 15th different UC player to earn the accolade since 2013 and picks up the 36th award given.
// ADDING TO THE HAUL
This year, the Bearcats have collected four awards, including two major and two Honor Rolls. Along with Eustaquio, Thomsen was named the Rookie of the Week (Aug. 20) after the first week of play. Lowell joins Vetere as Honor Roll selections in 2018 after Vetere was selected two weeks ago following her winning strike in overtime of the Riverboat Rivalry match with Northern Kentucky.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats return home next week for a pair of matches to close out the non-conference portion of their 2018 slate. First, UC will welcome Lipscomb to Gettler Stadium Thursday night for a 7 p.m. clash with the Bisons before the Bearcats and LSU Tigers close out the weekend with a 1 p.m. start Sunday.
// 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.
// 2018 AAC Weekly Awards
Goalkeeper of the Week
Claudia Eustaquio • Sept. 10
Rookie of the Week
Brandi Thomsen • Aug. 20
Honor Roll
Kiki Lowell • Sept. 10
Jill Vetere • Aug. 27
// MAKING STOPS
Eustaquio came up big in Thursday's scoreless draw with the visiting Jayhawks as she halted six shots to preserve her first clean sheet of the 2018 season. Eustaquio made her third appearance of the season and doubled her save total in the process as the Bearcats kept Kansas off the scoreboard for the first time this season after they had scored 11 times in its previous six matches.
The weekly award is the first of any kind for Eustaquio as a member of the Bearcats program and marks her second career weekly award when including her one season with Detroit Mercy (2015). That year, on September 14, she was tabbed as the Horizon League's Defensive Player of the Week after helping the Titans to three-consecutive shutouts.
Eustaquio is the third Bearcats keeper to be honored by the AAC since joining the league in 2013. Madison Less was honored once last year (10/30/17) while Natalie Smith was a four-time honoree, being tabbed once each in 2013 and 2016 with two more honors in 2015. When counting the four major categories (offense, defense, goalkeeper and rookie), Eustaquio's honor is the 31st earned for the Bearcats and the second this year after Brandi Thomsen was named the Rookie of the Week on August 20.
// NO GOALS A-LOWELL-ED
Lowell earned a place on the Honor Roll this week as she played strong in both matches of the weekend. First, she played the full 110 minutes in the 0-0 tie with #16 KU and then battled the heat and humidity in Alabama as she played 84 of the 90 minutes against #10 Auburn. Against the Jayhawks, Lowell continually battled for the ball and came up with a huge play late in regulation as she chased down an attacking KU player who was moving in on goal only to step in and knock the ball away for Eustaquio to smother, preventing a chance on goal with under two minutes remaining. Lowell also was sharp against the Tigers as she blocked a trio of shots and was also able to carry the ball out of the defensive third to start counter attacks the opposite direction.
While this is the first Honor Roll selection for Lowell, it is not her first career weekly award from the AAC. As a freshman last year, Lowell was twice named the AAC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts, including selections in back-to-back weeks (September 25 and October 2). With her Honor Roll placement, Lowell becomes the 15th different UC player to earn the accolade since 2013 and picks up the 36th award given.
// ADDING TO THE HAUL
This year, the Bearcats have collected four awards, including two major and two Honor Rolls. Along with Eustaquio, Thomsen was named the Rookie of the Week (Aug. 20) after the first week of play. Lowell joins Vetere as Honor Roll selections in 2018 after Vetere was selected two weeks ago following her winning strike in overtime of the Riverboat Rivalry match with Northern Kentucky.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats return home next week for a pair of matches to close out the non-conference portion of their 2018 slate. First, UC will welcome Lipscomb to Gettler Stadium Thursday night for a 7 p.m. clash with the Bisons before the Bearcats and LSU Tigers close out the weekend with a 1 p.m. start Sunday.
// 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.
// 2018 AAC Weekly Awards
Goalkeeper of the Week
Claudia Eustaquio • Sept. 10
Rookie of the Week
Brandi Thomsen • Aug. 20
Honor Roll
Kiki Lowell • Sept. 10
Jill Vetere • Aug. 27