TicketsCINCINNATI - For the third time at home this year, the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team went to the locker room at halftime trailing, 1-0. And, for the third time this year, including the second match in a row, the Bearcats battled back to claim a 2-1 victory as Jill Vetere and Julia Abbott found the back of the net to lift the hosts to the win over visiting LSU Sunday afternoon at Gettler Stadium in Cincinnati. The Bearcats, who received a solid eight-save performance from goalkeeper Madison Less, moved to 5-3-1 overall this year and 5-0-1 in home matches while the Tigers fell to 6-3-0.
// QUICK NOTES
• Cincinnati moved to 5-3-1 overall and 5-0-1 at home this year while LSU fell to 6-3-0
• The win leveled the all-time series with LSU after the Tigers won the inaugural meeting last year in Baton Rouge, 1-0
• Today's match marked the third time this year - and second match in a row - that the Bearcats have fallen behind, 1-0, at halftime before pulling off a 2-1 victory.
• UC is now undefeated in its last 18 home matches dating back to the 2016 season, the second-longest streak in program history
• The win pushed UC's 'Sunday Fun Day' record to 23-0-3 since Neil Stafford took over the program, keeping the Bearcats undefeated in home, Sunday afternoon matches dating back to the start of the 2013 season with UC having out-scored its foes in that time, 53-12
• In that same time span under Stafford, the Bearcats have played 52 home matches and, with today's win, move to 36-6-10
• Vetere notched her second goal of the year to tie for the team lead (with Sophie Gorman and Sydney Kilgore) while increasing her team lead to seven points overall
• Abbott's goal brought about several firsts as her first points of the year also marked her first goal since October 6, 2017, in a win over visiting Morehead State and gave her first career game-winning strike
• Bri Costigan assisted on Vetere's goal to give the defender her first point since October 30, 2016, in a 2-1 win over Temple that also started the team's current 18-match home undefeated streak
• Less tied her career high with eight saves in the contest, equaling her previous best of eight in last year's double overtime, 0-0 draw with visiting Memphis (October 15)
• Freshman Alli Pestaina earned her first career start for the Bearcats, playing 54 minutes on the defensive back line
// CIN 0:1 LSU • 28'
The Tigers struck first as their pressure forward resulted in a 28' goal from Tiana Caffey to stake the visitors to a 1-0 lead. LSU pressed forward and saw a shot from the top of the box blocked by the UC defense with the ball rolling over the end line for a corner kick. After nothing came of the first attempt, a second corner kick was taken and this time, the Tigers made it count. Marlena Cutura played the ball toward the front post where it bounced around and off three different players before Caffey got her foot on it, sending into the net on the back post and sending the Bearcats to an early deficit.
// CIN 1:1 LSU • 54'
Following the break, the Tigers came out aggressively once again, but UC thwarted their attempts on goal. After counter attacking down the field, the ball came out to the wing to Costigan, who took a pair of touches before sending the ball into the box at the front post where Vetere was rushing toward. The ball got past LSU keeper Caroline Brockmeier and Vetere, as she was sliding past the end line, tipped the ball into the open net to draw the hosts level with LSU in the 54'.
// CIN 2:1 LSU • 58'
The Bearcats were not done there, however, as they continued their offensive pressure and were rewarded for it just 3:16 later. UC regained possession in the midfield and began a series of strong passing that led to the score. Kilgore got things going as she played the ball from the wing back toward Vetere, who turned and carried toward the corner of the box. There, she played Kilgore in where the Indiana transfer got to the ball and played into the six-yard box. There, two LSU defenders tried to clear the ball, but it fell to Abbott, who poked the ball into the open net and put the hosts on top for the first time on the day.
// SECOND HALF HEROICS
'Fight to the Finish' is not just part of the school's fight song, but also how the Bearcats continually play and today's effort embodied that. For the third time this season, UC found itself trailing, 1-0, at halftime in a home match before rallying to claim a 2-1 win. The first came in the season opener with Eastern Kentucky leading at the break before goals from Vetere (64') and Brandi Thomsen (69') brought UC back for the win. The second instance game just three days ago against Lipscomb. In that match, UC received goals from Dee Picou (79') and Gorman (99') to secure the victory in overtime.
// LESS GETTING MORE
At halftime, Less had recorded two saves and allowed one goal. Following the break, the sophomore keeper tallied six saves and did not allow another score, bringing her total to eight stops in the contest and tying her career high. The first time she saved eight shots also came against Tigers, although those Tigers came from Memphis. The match was played to a 0-0, double overtime draw on October 15. With the eight saves today and the victory, Less now has nine career victories to her credit, which moves her to #10 all-time in program history for goalkeeper wins.
// VETERE CONTINUES TO LEAD
Last year, Vetere scored three goals for six points in her debut season for the Bearcats after transferring in from Louisville. Through nine matches this season, the senior from Mason has scored twice and chipped in three assists for seven points. That total equals her previous season high from 2016, her last year with the Cardinals, in which she posted an identical stat line of 2g-3a-7p. Vetere is now tied for the team lead in goals while holding the lead on her own in both assists and points.
// BEEN A WHILE
Abbott and Costigan both found the stat sheet for the first time in a while. For Abbott, her goal was not on the first points of the year for her, it also marked her first goal since October 6, 2017, against Morehead State and also goes down as her first career game-winning goal. Costigan's point drought went back much further as her second career assist marks her first point since she assisted on the first goal in a 2-1 win over Temple on October 30, 2016. That win, oddly enough, started the team's current 18-match home winning streak.
// NEXT MATCH
With today's win, the Bearcats closed out the non-conference portion of their season with a 5-3-1 record and will now turn their focus to the start of the American Athletic Conference slate that starts next weekend. UC will open at Memphis in an 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) match on Thursday night before closing out the road trip with a 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. local) tilt with Tulsa on Sunday afternoon.
// 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
• Cincinnati moved to 5-3-1 overall and 5-0-1 at home this year while LSU fell to 6-3-0
• The win leveled the all-time series with LSU after the Tigers won the inaugural meeting last year in Baton Rouge, 1-0
• Today's match marked the third time this year - and second match in a row - that the Bearcats have fallen behind, 1-0, at halftime before pulling off a 2-1 victory.
• UC is now undefeated in its last 18 home matches dating back to the 2016 season, the second-longest streak in program history
• The win pushed UC's 'Sunday Fun Day' record to 23-0-3 since Neil Stafford took over the program, keeping the Bearcats undefeated in home, Sunday afternoon matches dating back to the start of the 2013 season with UC having out-scored its foes in that time, 53-12
• In that same time span under Stafford, the Bearcats have played 52 home matches and, with today's win, move to 36-6-10
• Vetere notched her second goal of the year to tie for the team lead (with Sophie Gorman and Sydney Kilgore) while increasing her team lead to seven points overall
• Abbott's goal brought about several firsts as her first points of the year also marked her first goal since October 6, 2017, in a win over visiting Morehead State and gave her first career game-winning strike
• Bri Costigan assisted on Vetere's goal to give the defender her first point since October 30, 2016, in a 2-1 win over Temple that also started the team's current 18-match home undefeated streak
• Less tied her career high with eight saves in the contest, equaling her previous best of eight in last year's double overtime, 0-0 draw with visiting Memphis (October 15)
• Freshman Alli Pestaina earned her first career start for the Bearcats, playing 54 minutes on the defensive back line
// CIN 0:1 LSU • 28'
The Tigers struck first as their pressure forward resulted in a 28' goal from Tiana Caffey to stake the visitors to a 1-0 lead. LSU pressed forward and saw a shot from the top of the box blocked by the UC defense with the ball rolling over the end line for a corner kick. After nothing came of the first attempt, a second corner kick was taken and this time, the Tigers made it count. Marlena Cutura played the ball toward the front post where it bounced around and off three different players before Caffey got her foot on it, sending into the net on the back post and sending the Bearcats to an early deficit.
// CIN 1:1 LSU • 54'
Following the break, the Tigers came out aggressively once again, but UC thwarted their attempts on goal. After counter attacking down the field, the ball came out to the wing to Costigan, who took a pair of touches before sending the ball into the box at the front post where Vetere was rushing toward. The ball got past LSU keeper Caroline Brockmeier and Vetere, as she was sliding past the end line, tipped the ball into the open net to draw the hosts level with LSU in the 54'.
// CIN 2:1 LSU • 58'
The Bearcats were not done there, however, as they continued their offensive pressure and were rewarded for it just 3:16 later. UC regained possession in the midfield and began a series of strong passing that led to the score. Kilgore got things going as she played the ball from the wing back toward Vetere, who turned and carried toward the corner of the box. There, she played Kilgore in where the Indiana transfer got to the ball and played into the six-yard box. There, two LSU defenders tried to clear the ball, but it fell to Abbott, who poked the ball into the open net and put the hosts on top for the first time on the day.
// SECOND HALF HEROICS
'Fight to the Finish' is not just part of the school's fight song, but also how the Bearcats continually play and today's effort embodied that. For the third time this season, UC found itself trailing, 1-0, at halftime in a home match before rallying to claim a 2-1 win. The first came in the season opener with Eastern Kentucky leading at the break before goals from Vetere (64') and Brandi Thomsen (69') brought UC back for the win. The second instance game just three days ago against Lipscomb. In that match, UC received goals from Dee Picou (79') and Gorman (99') to secure the victory in overtime.
// LESS GETTING MORE
At halftime, Less had recorded two saves and allowed one goal. Following the break, the sophomore keeper tallied six saves and did not allow another score, bringing her total to eight stops in the contest and tying her career high. The first time she saved eight shots also came against Tigers, although those Tigers came from Memphis. The match was played to a 0-0, double overtime draw on October 15. With the eight saves today and the victory, Less now has nine career victories to her credit, which moves her to #10 all-time in program history for goalkeeper wins.
// VETERE CONTINUES TO LEAD
Last year, Vetere scored three goals for six points in her debut season for the Bearcats after transferring in from Louisville. Through nine matches this season, the senior from Mason has scored twice and chipped in three assists for seven points. That total equals her previous season high from 2016, her last year with the Cardinals, in which she posted an identical stat line of 2g-3a-7p. Vetere is now tied for the team lead in goals while holding the lead on her own in both assists and points.
// BEEN A WHILE
Abbott and Costigan both found the stat sheet for the first time in a while. For Abbott, her goal was not on the first points of the year for her, it also marked her first goal since October 6, 2017, against Morehead State and also goes down as her first career game-winning goal. Costigan's point drought went back much further as her second career assist marks her first point since she assisted on the first goal in a 2-1 win over Temple on October 30, 2016. That win, oddly enough, started the team's current 18-match home winning streak.
// NEXT MATCH
With today's win, the Bearcats closed out the non-conference portion of their season with a 5-3-1 record and will now turn their focus to the start of the American Athletic Conference slate that starts next weekend. UC will open at Memphis in an 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) match on Thursday night before closing out the road trip with a 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. local) tilt with Tulsa on Sunday afternoon.
// 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.