Tickets// THE OPENING WHISTLE
The second half of the 2018 season is now upon the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team as the Bearcats (5-3-1) are set to open American Athletic Conference play this weekend on the road with matches at Memphis (8-1-0) and Tulsa (4-4-1) on the slate. The Bearcats closed out their nonconference season with two wins in a row last weekend and will now face the Tigers in Memphis, Tenn., Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET to start league play. Following that match, UC will venture to Tulsa, Okla., for a 2 p.m. ET match Sunday with the Golden Hurricane.
// 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
Both matches this week will be streamed live on each host school's respective web site. To watch each match, visit the women's soccer schedule page at GoTigersGo.com (Memphis) and TulsaHurricane.com (Tulsa) and click on the WATCH link.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 5-3-1 on the year with a 5-0-1 mark at home and 0-3-0 record on the road with all three road losses coming to teams ranked in the national Top 25 at the time of the match
• UC is 11-11-2 in its first conference match of the season and unbeaten in its last three (1-0-2), including a 0-0 draw with #14 UCF last year at home
• The Bearcats are 12-11-1 in their first road conference match of the season and are undefeated in their last five (4-0-1), including all five AAC road openers since the league formed
• While Memphis is not ranked in the Top 25 polls, it is among the Top 15 in the first release of the NCAA RPI standings as the Tigers rank #12, the second highest of any UC foe so far this year behind only #11 Auburn
• Speaking of the RPI, the Bearcats enter the first release at #36 with five foes ahead of them, including #11 AU, #12 MU, #13 Kansas, #14 Virginia and #23 USF
• Last week, the Bearcats fell behind at halftime, 1-0, to both Lipscomb and LSU at home before coming back for 2-1 victories over both opponents, marking the third time this year (all at home) that the Bearcats have done that
• Jill Vetere scored one goal, assisted on another and had a hand in starting the build up for a third goal to earn AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors
• Madison Less played the second half against Lipscomb and the full 90 against LSU, allowing 1 goal and stopping 12 shots to help UC go 2-0-0 on the weekend and earn AAC Goalkeeper of the Week accolades
• Julia Abbott scored her first career game-winning goal, netting the winner against LSU, to earn a spot on this week's AAC Honor Roll, the first weekly award of her career
• Several other firsts occurred over the weekend, including Bri Costigan's first point since the 2016 season, Dee Picou's first collegiate goal, Vanessa DiNardo recorded her first collegiate assist and Alli Pestaina earning her first career start for the Bearcats
• With the two wins last week, the Bearcats increased their current home undefeated streak to 18 matches in a row (14-0-4) dating back to the final match of the 2016 season
• Need 3: UC is 3 wins shy of 200 home victories in program history
• With the win Sunday, the Bearcats improved their Sunday Fun Day (Sunday afternoon home matches) record to 23-0-3 under Neil Stafford since he took over the program in 2013
// AT THE HALF-WAY MARK
Nine matches into an 18-match regular season, the Bearcats posted a 5-3-1 record in nonconference play. With those five wins, the team has now won five or more nonconference matches for five years in a row now to break the record for consecutive seasons of four when the 1994-97 teams also accomplished the feat.
// QUICK RECAP: 2-0-0 WEEK AT HOME
• Cincinnati went 2-0-0 last week as they downed Lipscomb, 2-1, in overtime Thursday night before taking down LSU, 2-1, Sunday
• The Bearcats trailed at the half, 1-0, in both matches before winning each contest, 2-1, marking the second and third time this has happened at home this year
• Against the Lady Bisons, the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the 19' and held UC scoreless until the 79' when Dee Picou scored her first collegiate goal to eventually force overtime
• Eight minutes into the extra session, Sophie Gorman scored on a Vanessa DiNardo & Jill Vetere assist to win their second OT match of the year
• Against the Tigers, UC once again fell behind, this time in the 28', before scoring twice in a four minute span to take the match, 2-1
• Vetere collected her second of the year to tie the match in the 54' before Julia Abbott scored her first game-winning goal in the 58'
• Madison Less recorded four saves in the second half and OT against Lipscomb before tallying eight against LSU to tie a career-high
// FIGHT TO THE FINISH
In their five wins at home this year, the Bearcats found themselves trailing in three of those matches, including both over last week, before coming back to win, 2-1, in all three. In fact, UC trailed for nearly one hour (59:13) against Lipscomb before scoring the equalizer in the 79' and winning in overtime, the longest time trailing of those three matches. The previous long was 54:50 against Eastern Kentucky in the opener. UC trailed LSU for 26:21 before netting two goals in a five minute span to take the victory.
// AND THE AWARD GOES TO...
Following last week's matches, three Bearcats received accolades from the American Athletic Conference, including two of the four major awards:
• Jill Vetere was named the Offensive Player of the Week as she had a hand in all four goals scored as she scored the tying goal against LSU, started the play that led to the winner against the Tigers, started the tying play with a corner kick against Lipscomb and assisted on the winner as well. The award is the first of Vetere's career and the first offensive honor for UC this season.
• Madison Less was named the Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time in her career as she played the second half and overtime against LU before playing the full 90 against LSU, racking up 12 saves, including a career-high-tying 8 against the Tigers, to help UC to two wins. Her award gives UC the keeper honor for the second week in a row after Claudia Eustaquio was selected last week.
• Julia Abbott was named to the Honor Roll after she netted her first goal since last October. Her goal went down as the winning strike in the 2-1 win over LSU and gave the junior her first career game-winning goal with the Bearcats.
// MAJOR AWARDS • OFFENSE
Vetere's honor was the first of her career, making her the fifth different Bearcats player to be honored by the AAC since joining the league in 2013. She joins Jaycie Brown and Danielle Rotheram, who each were two-time honorees, as well as Julie Gavorski and Emily Elsbrock to bring UC's total to seven. Prior to Vetere, Brown was the most recent recipient after being honored last year (9/11/17).
// MAJOR AWARDS • GOALKEEPER
With her honor, Less became the second Bearcats net minder to be selected for the weekly award more than once in a career after she was selected last year (October 30). She now joins Natalie Smith, who was a four-time honoree, and Claudia Eustaquio, who earned the award for the first time last week, giving UC the keeper's award in back-to-back weeks.
// FEELING HONORED
Historically, Abbott's honor makes her the 16th different Bearcats player to earn a spot on the Honor Roll and the second newcomer to the list in as many weeks after Kiki Lowell was selected last week. Abbott collects the 37th Honor Roll award for the Bearcats since the start of the 2013 season and third of the season after Vetere was honored on August 27.
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats are not ranked this week in either poll and sit sixth in the latest United Soccer Coaches South Region rankings once again this week. Memphis is receiving votes in this week's Coaches poll while only one other foe on the 2018 schedule is currently ranked as USF sits 18th in the Coaches rankings and #16 according to Top Drawer Soccer.
// IN THE RPI
The NCAA released its first RPI rankings of the year with the Bearcats coming at #36, the third-highest among all teams in the American behind #12 Memphis and #23 USF. According to the data, the Bearcats' strength of schedule is ranked #12 nationally with three foes already played this year sitting in the RPI Top 14, including #11 Auburn (L), #13 Kansas (T) and #14 Virginia (L). Along with Memphis (12), the Bearcats will play #235 Tulsa this week with #52 SMU and #213 Houston coming to town next weekend.
// LIFTING THE LID: CONFERENCE PLAY
UC will face Memphis Thursday night to open the conference season, marking the third time the Bearcats' first AAC match of the season is away from home. Overall, the Bearcats are 11-11-2 all-time in their first conference match of the season and are undefeated in their last three, including a 0-0 draw with #14 UCF at home last year before a 2-0 win at ECU in 2016 and a 2-2 draw at SMU in 2015. That tie with the Mustangs ended a three-match losing streak in openers. In its first road conference match of the season, UC is slightly better, holding a 12-11-1 overall record and is undefeated in its last five matches, posting a 4-0-1 record in that span, including wins in the last two that included a 1-0 win at UConn last year and a 2-0 win at ECU in 2016.
// KNOW THE FOE: MEMPHIS
• The Tigers stand 8-1-0 on the year and have won six in a row, all by shutout. In fact, all eight of their victories have come via shutout as they have outscored their foes, 24-5, this year with all five goals allowed in their lone loss, a 5-2 decision to visiting Mississippi State.
• UM have been road warriors so far this year, having opened the season with a 2-1-0 record at home to open the season before playing the last six away from home (five away, one neutral)
• Clarissa Larisey leads the team, and the league, in scoring with seven goals in nine games and has added one assist for 15 points while Samantha Murphy has chipped in five goals and 10 points
• Elizabeth Moberg has played all nine matches in goal, carrying a 0.55 goals-against average by allowing five goals and stopping 13 shots while posting a league-best eight shutouts
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-TIGERS
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series with Memphis, 10-4-1, with last year's 0-0 draw in Cincinnati halting a three-game winning streak for the Tigers in the series
• When playing in Memphis, UC leads, 5-3-0, but has lost the last three in a row, including a 5-1 setback in the last meeting at UM in 2016
• Offense has been the name of the game in the series with both teams combining to score three or more goals in all but four of those 15 games
// KNOW THE FOE: TULSA
• The Golden Hurricane enter the weekend with a 4-4-1 record (they host ECU Thursday) with a 3-3-1 mark on their home pitch
• UT has split each of their last three weekends, winning one and losing one each time out
• Anna Williams and Mia Darden lead the offense with four goals each with Williams posting 11 points on the year and Darden 10. UT has seen 10 different players score at least once this year.
• Mica MacKay has seen most of the minutes in goal for UT, carrying a 1.40 goals-against average after allowing 11 goals and stopping 34 shots
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-GOLDEN HURRICANE
• Cincinnati holds a 5-2-0 all-time record against Tulsa in the series and won the last meeting, 3-2, at home last year
• The two teams have met only twice in Tulsa with the UT winning both contests, including a 2-0 decision in 2016 and a 2-1 score in 2014
• UC is 4-0-0 when playing Tulsa in Cincinnati and 1-0-0 at neutral sites
// THAT'S A FIRST
Last week, several firsts were achieved by Bearcats players, including:
• Dee Picou scored the game-tying goal against Lipscomb to net her first career score for the Bearcats, which came two weeks after she recorded her first career point and first career assist on the OT winner against NKU
• Julia Abbott's goal against LSU was not only her first of the year and third of her career, but also stands as her first career game-winning strike
• Freshman Vanessa DiNardo collected her first college point as she assisted on the winning goal against Lipscomb with a sweet back-heel pass to Vetere, who played into Sophie Gorman for the winning strike
• Bri Costigan assisted on the game-tying goal against LSU to pick-up her first point of the year and just her second career point after she assisted on a goal against Temple in 2016, the same match that started UC's current 18-match home undefeated streak
• Freshman Alli Pestaina earned her first career start, making her way into the Starting XI against Lipscomb
// ALMOST OVER THE HILL
The 2018 season marks the 39th varsity campaign for the Bearcats program. Through the match with LSU, Cincinnati's all-time record stands at 386-279-62 (.573), including a mark of 197-100-29 at home, leaving the team just three wins away from the 200-victory milestone.
// HOME STREAKING
Speaking of the success the Bearcats have enjoyed at home, the team is currently on an 18-match undefeated streak, dating back to the home finale in 2016, a 2-1 win over Temple. Holders of the second-longest streak in program history, UC posted an 8-0-3 record at Gettler Stadium last year and are 5-0-1 so far this season to build the mark. The record is 23 in a row which was set during the 1983-86 seasons.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Since the start of the 2013 season and including last week's matches with Lipscomb and LSU, the Bearcats have played 52 home matches, posting a 36-6-10 record in that time (.788 win percentage). Including 2018, UC has won at least five 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, 93-35 (+58). So far in 2018, the Bearcats are 5-0-1 at home and have out scored their opponents, 9-3.
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons, Stafford and his staff accumulated 32 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. Expanding into the first six years, Glenn's teams won 34 home matches (34-5-3) while Stafford's Bearcats now have won 37 (37-5-4) thanks to a 5-0-1 start to 2018.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 26 times and hold an impressive 23-0-3 record in those matches after posting a win over LSU this past weekend. In that span, the Bearcats have not only posted an impressive record, but also have outscored their foes, 53-12, while the defense has recorded 16 clean sheets. Two more 'Sunday Fun Days' remain on the schedule in 2018, including matches with Houston next week (Sept. 30) and UConn (Oct. 14) for Senior Day.
// PRO UPDATE: GILLES NETS HER FIRST
Vanessa Gilles and her Bordeaux side won their second match in a row last week, bettering Rodez, 2-0, with Gilles netting her first goal with the French Top Division side. With one match in hand, the Girondins are one of three teams perfect through three match days (Bordeaux's season opener was postponed) with perennial power Lyon and PSG topping the table with nine points while Bordeaux has six. Their next foe, F.C. Fleury 91 also sit on six points with a 2-1-0 record.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// CLOUD 9
Including the 0-0 draw with KU, the Bearcats are now undefeated in their last nine OT contests, posting a 1-0-8 record when playing past 90 minutes since dropping a 2-1 decision at Purdue in 2016. It marks the second time under Neil Stafford that the Bearcats have not lost in overtime in nine-consecutive matches with the first starting in the 2014 season with a 2-2 tie to visiting UC Santa Barbara and finished with a 2-1 win against visiting Dayton to start the 2016 season. The match that ended that streak? The 2-1 setback to Purdue in 2016. Those two stretches are the longest in program history with another nine-match streak from 1996-98 also joining in (5-0-4).
// HOME OVERTIME
When playing in home overtime matches, the Bearcats have been tough to beat recently as they are undefeated in their last 11, holding a 2-0-9 record. The last time UC lost in overtime at home came in 2013 in a 5-4 loss to Louisville. Prior to the current streak, the longest stretch of undefeated home overtime matches was six and came two times, first from 1996-98 (3-0-3) and then from 1999-03 (5-0-1). All told, the Bearcats are 18-19-29 all-time in home overtime contests.
// SPOT ON
At the 11:38 mark, Jill Vetere played the ball into the box and Brandi Thomsen was pulled down to earn a penalty kick for the Bearcats. Cassie Wheldon stepped up to the spot and coolly slotted her shot low and into the netting for a 1-0 lead. It was the first PK conversion for the Bearcats in over one year after Julie Gavorski scored from the spot on August 27, 2017, to secure a 1-0 win over visiting Miami (Fla.).
// BACK IN THE SCORING COLUMN
Wheldon's goal was the third of her career, but her first since 2015, her freshman campaign for the Bearcats. That year, she scored twice with the last coming October 18, 2015, when she knocked in the fourth and final goal of a 4-0 victory over visiting Evansville.
// RARE FINISH
The match at Auburn was the 725th in program history. In the 727 matches UC has played in its history, including the two last week, a match has only ended in a scoreless draw 22 times (0.03 percent). Of those 22 matches, seven have come in the last four seasons with two each in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons and once this year.
// MILESTONE MATCH
Of those 727 matches played, 326 have been played at home with last Thursday's match against Lipscomb standing as both the 325th all-time home match in program history, but also as the 250th played at Gettler Stadium. All-time, the Bearcats are 197-100-29 at home and sport a 138-86-26 record at Gettler Stadium/Meyers Field.
// PACKING THEM IN
The 1,194 fans that attended the Riverboat Rivalry match with Northern Kentucky (Aug. 26) ranks highly in program history attendance figures. That total stands as the sixth-largest home crowd in Bearcats history while also ranking as the 11th-largest UC has played before in its history. That attendance also means two of the Top 6 home crowds in UC history have come when the Norse have visited after the inaugural Riverboat Rivalry in 2016 drew 4,722 fans, a record for a women's college soccer game played in the state of Ohio.
// HELLO! MY NAME IS...
Nine true freshmen, one sophomore and a junior transfer make up this year's newest Bearcats. Junior Sydney Kilgore, a native of Cincinnati (Oak Hills HS) joins the program after playing for two years at Indiana while sophomore Ying Zhan, a native of China, is in her first year playing collegiate soccer. The rookies are comprised of four individuals from the Cincinnati area, including Emi Carlo (Lebanon HS), Kiley Keehan (Walnut Hills HS), Madison Lindsay (Lebanon HS) and Annie Metzger (Mason HS), three from the Cleveland area, including Vanessa DiNardo (Strongsville, Ohio), Camryn Hartman (Bay Village, Ohio) and Ally Sidloski (Strongsville, Ohio), and two others from outside of the state, including Wisconsin's Brandi Thomsen (Brookfield) and Massachusetts' Alli Pestaina (Brimfield).
// PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Two of the newcomers earned high honors ahead of joining the Bearcats. Brandi Thomsen twice earned player of the year honors in the state of Wisconsin, including being named the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year and the 2017 Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year. Vanessa DiNardo also earned a state honor as she was tabbed as the 2017 Ohio Division I State Player of the Year.
// SAME SCHOOL
While local players joining the program often hail from the same high schools as upperclassmen is nothing new for a collegiate program or, like this year, two sets of two teammates joining the program at the same time (DiNardo/Sidloski from Strongsville and Carlo/Lindsay from Lebanon), the addition of Alli Pestaina to the team brings with it another connection. Before coming to UC, Pestaina, a native of Brimfield, Mass., attended Worcester Academy, the same academy head coach Stafford attended during his prep days.
// WELCOME TO AMERICA!
Throughout the history of the program, the roster has featured several Canadian players with this year's team featuring a trio from north of the border in Claudia Eustaquio, Michelle Travassos and Cassie Wheldon. This year, though, a new country was added to the list with the arrival of Ying Zhan from Shenzhen, China. Along with the American and Canadian players that have appeared, only three other nations have been represented in program history, including Ana Farmer of Scotland (2004-06), Alana McShane of Northern Ireland (2013) and now Zhan.
// DOUBLE DIGIT WINS
Last year, UC won 12 matches, marking the fourth year in a row the team has won 10+ in a single season under Head Coach Neil Stafford. That streak ties for the second-best in program history and leaves the Bearcats one shy of equalling the all-time best. Currently, the four-year streak equals the 1980-83 and 1986-89 squads for second while the 1994-97 teams hold the mark with five in a row.
// CONTINUING TO IMPROVE
Before Stafford took over the program, UC had improved its season win percentage in two-consecutive seasons four times, with the most recent coming in 2000 (.727 from .447) and 2001 (.834 from .727). After the program finished with a win percentage of .250 in 2012 and Stafford came in, the team has raised its win percentage in all five seasons, posting marks of .425 (2013), .550 (2014), .646 (2015), .650 (2016) and .711 (2017).
// SORRY, THE GOAL IS CLOSED
One of the reasons the Bearcats have continued to raise its overall profile has been the outstanding defense it has played. In 2012, UC conceded 39 goals. Since then, that number has gone down every year under Stafford, reaching a miniscule total of 11 allowed in 2017, which tied for the fewest in a season. During that span, UC has allowed 37 (2013), 27 (2014), 22 (2015), 21 (2016) and 11 (2017).
// IN THE RPI
During the 2017 season, the Bearcats rose as high as #11 in the RPI data released by the NCAA, the highest ranking they have attained in program history. What is more impressive is where the program had come from. At the end of the 2012 season, Cincinnati's final RPI ranking was #227, meaning that, in the five years Stafford and his staff have guided the program, the Bearcats have clawed their way up 216 positions since the start of the 2013 season.
// BROUGHT HOME THE BAGEL
With the regular season finale - a 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 0.50 goals or less
// GORMAN GOALS
To get the 1-0 victory over ECU, 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
In 2017, the Bearcats 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.
// ACADEMICALLY SOUND
Last year, the Bearcats collectively sported a 3.50 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, 28 of the 31 women on the roster recorded a 3.00 GPA or better during the 2017-18 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 2017-18 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.
// UP NEXT
Conference action continues next week with the Bearcats welcoming the Texas schools for UC's first home AAC contests of the 2018 season. First, the Bearcats will play host to SMU Thursday, September 27, in a 7 p.m. match at Gettler Stadium. The weekend will come to a close Sunday, September 30, when the Houston Cougars visit Gettler Stadium at 1 p.m.
The second half of the 2018 season is now upon the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team as the Bearcats (5-3-1) are set to open American Athletic Conference play this weekend on the road with matches at Memphis (8-1-0) and Tulsa (4-4-1) on the slate. The Bearcats closed out their nonconference season with two wins in a row last weekend and will now face the Tigers in Memphis, Tenn., Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET to start league play. Following that match, UC will venture to Tulsa, Okla., for a 2 p.m. ET match Sunday with the Golden Hurricane.
// 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
Both matches this week will be streamed live on each host school's respective web site. To watch each match, visit the women's soccer schedule page at GoTigersGo.com (Memphis) and TulsaHurricane.com (Tulsa) and click on the WATCH link.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 5-3-1 on the year with a 5-0-1 mark at home and 0-3-0 record on the road with all three road losses coming to teams ranked in the national Top 25 at the time of the match
• UC is 11-11-2 in its first conference match of the season and unbeaten in its last three (1-0-2), including a 0-0 draw with #14 UCF last year at home
• The Bearcats are 12-11-1 in their first road conference match of the season and are undefeated in their last five (4-0-1), including all five AAC road openers since the league formed
• While Memphis is not ranked in the Top 25 polls, it is among the Top 15 in the first release of the NCAA RPI standings as the Tigers rank #12, the second highest of any UC foe so far this year behind only #11 Auburn
• Speaking of the RPI, the Bearcats enter the first release at #36 with five foes ahead of them, including #11 AU, #12 MU, #13 Kansas, #14 Virginia and #23 USF
• Last week, the Bearcats fell behind at halftime, 1-0, to both Lipscomb and LSU at home before coming back for 2-1 victories over both opponents, marking the third time this year (all at home) that the Bearcats have done that
• Jill Vetere scored one goal, assisted on another and had a hand in starting the build up for a third goal to earn AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors
• Madison Less played the second half against Lipscomb and the full 90 against LSU, allowing 1 goal and stopping 12 shots to help UC go 2-0-0 on the weekend and earn AAC Goalkeeper of the Week accolades
• Julia Abbott scored her first career game-winning goal, netting the winner against LSU, to earn a spot on this week's AAC Honor Roll, the first weekly award of her career
• Several other firsts occurred over the weekend, including Bri Costigan's first point since the 2016 season, Dee Picou's first collegiate goal, Vanessa DiNardo recorded her first collegiate assist and Alli Pestaina earning her first career start for the Bearcats
• With the two wins last week, the Bearcats increased their current home undefeated streak to 18 matches in a row (14-0-4) dating back to the final match of the 2016 season
• Need 3: UC is 3 wins shy of 200 home victories in program history
• With the win Sunday, the Bearcats improved their Sunday Fun Day (Sunday afternoon home matches) record to 23-0-3 under Neil Stafford since he took over the program in 2013
// AT THE HALF-WAY MARK
Nine matches into an 18-match regular season, the Bearcats posted a 5-3-1 record in nonconference play. With those five wins, the team has now won five or more nonconference matches for five years in a row now to break the record for consecutive seasons of four when the 1994-97 teams also accomplished the feat.
// QUICK RECAP: 2-0-0 WEEK AT HOME
• Cincinnati went 2-0-0 last week as they downed Lipscomb, 2-1, in overtime Thursday night before taking down LSU, 2-1, Sunday
• The Bearcats trailed at the half, 1-0, in both matches before winning each contest, 2-1, marking the second and third time this has happened at home this year
• Against the Lady Bisons, the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the 19' and held UC scoreless until the 79' when Dee Picou scored her first collegiate goal to eventually force overtime
• Eight minutes into the extra session, Sophie Gorman scored on a Vanessa DiNardo & Jill Vetere assist to win their second OT match of the year
• Against the Tigers, UC once again fell behind, this time in the 28', before scoring twice in a four minute span to take the match, 2-1
• Vetere collected her second of the year to tie the match in the 54' before Julia Abbott scored her first game-winning goal in the 58'
• Madison Less recorded four saves in the second half and OT against Lipscomb before tallying eight against LSU to tie a career-high
// FIGHT TO THE FINISH
In their five wins at home this year, the Bearcats found themselves trailing in three of those matches, including both over last week, before coming back to win, 2-1, in all three. In fact, UC trailed for nearly one hour (59:13) against Lipscomb before scoring the equalizer in the 79' and winning in overtime, the longest time trailing of those three matches. The previous long was 54:50 against Eastern Kentucky in the opener. UC trailed LSU for 26:21 before netting two goals in a five minute span to take the victory.
// AND THE AWARD GOES TO...
Following last week's matches, three Bearcats received accolades from the American Athletic Conference, including two of the four major awards:
• Jill Vetere was named the Offensive Player of the Week as she had a hand in all four goals scored as she scored the tying goal against LSU, started the play that led to the winner against the Tigers, started the tying play with a corner kick against Lipscomb and assisted on the winner as well. The award is the first of Vetere's career and the first offensive honor for UC this season.
• Madison Less was named the Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time in her career as she played the second half and overtime against LU before playing the full 90 against LSU, racking up 12 saves, including a career-high-tying 8 against the Tigers, to help UC to two wins. Her award gives UC the keeper honor for the second week in a row after Claudia Eustaquio was selected last week.
• Julia Abbott was named to the Honor Roll after she netted her first goal since last October. Her goal went down as the winning strike in the 2-1 win over LSU and gave the junior her first career game-winning goal with the Bearcats.
// MAJOR AWARDS • OFFENSE
Vetere's honor was the first of her career, making her the fifth different Bearcats player to be honored by the AAC since joining the league in 2013. She joins Jaycie Brown and Danielle Rotheram, who each were two-time honorees, as well as Julie Gavorski and Emily Elsbrock to bring UC's total to seven. Prior to Vetere, Brown was the most recent recipient after being honored last year (9/11/17).
// MAJOR AWARDS • GOALKEEPER
With her honor, Less became the second Bearcats net minder to be selected for the weekly award more than once in a career after she was selected last year (October 30). She now joins Natalie Smith, who was a four-time honoree, and Claudia Eustaquio, who earned the award for the first time last week, giving UC the keeper's award in back-to-back weeks.
// FEELING HONORED
Historically, Abbott's honor makes her the 16th different Bearcats player to earn a spot on the Honor Roll and the second newcomer to the list in as many weeks after Kiki Lowell was selected last week. Abbott collects the 37th Honor Roll award for the Bearcats since the start of the 2013 season and third of the season after Vetere was honored on August 27.
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats are not ranked this week in either poll and sit sixth in the latest United Soccer Coaches South Region rankings once again this week. Memphis is receiving votes in this week's Coaches poll while only one other foe on the 2018 schedule is currently ranked as USF sits 18th in the Coaches rankings and #16 according to Top Drawer Soccer.
// IN THE RPI
The NCAA released its first RPI rankings of the year with the Bearcats coming at #36, the third-highest among all teams in the American behind #12 Memphis and #23 USF. According to the data, the Bearcats' strength of schedule is ranked #12 nationally with three foes already played this year sitting in the RPI Top 14, including #11 Auburn (L), #13 Kansas (T) and #14 Virginia (L). Along with Memphis (12), the Bearcats will play #235 Tulsa this week with #52 SMU and #213 Houston coming to town next weekend.
// LIFTING THE LID: CONFERENCE PLAY
UC will face Memphis Thursday night to open the conference season, marking the third time the Bearcats' first AAC match of the season is away from home. Overall, the Bearcats are 11-11-2 all-time in their first conference match of the season and are undefeated in their last three, including a 0-0 draw with #14 UCF at home last year before a 2-0 win at ECU in 2016 and a 2-2 draw at SMU in 2015. That tie with the Mustangs ended a three-match losing streak in openers. In its first road conference match of the season, UC is slightly better, holding a 12-11-1 overall record and is undefeated in its last five matches, posting a 4-0-1 record in that span, including wins in the last two that included a 1-0 win at UConn last year and a 2-0 win at ECU in 2016.
// KNOW THE FOE: MEMPHIS
• The Tigers stand 8-1-0 on the year and have won six in a row, all by shutout. In fact, all eight of their victories have come via shutout as they have outscored their foes, 24-5, this year with all five goals allowed in their lone loss, a 5-2 decision to visiting Mississippi State.
• UM have been road warriors so far this year, having opened the season with a 2-1-0 record at home to open the season before playing the last six away from home (five away, one neutral)
• Clarissa Larisey leads the team, and the league, in scoring with seven goals in nine games and has added one assist for 15 points while Samantha Murphy has chipped in five goals and 10 points
• Elizabeth Moberg has played all nine matches in goal, carrying a 0.55 goals-against average by allowing five goals and stopping 13 shots while posting a league-best eight shutouts
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-TIGERS
• Cincinnati leads the all-time series with Memphis, 10-4-1, with last year's 0-0 draw in Cincinnati halting a three-game winning streak for the Tigers in the series
• When playing in Memphis, UC leads, 5-3-0, but has lost the last three in a row, including a 5-1 setback in the last meeting at UM in 2016
• Offense has been the name of the game in the series with both teams combining to score three or more goals in all but four of those 15 games
// KNOW THE FOE: TULSA
• The Golden Hurricane enter the weekend with a 4-4-1 record (they host ECU Thursday) with a 3-3-1 mark on their home pitch
• UT has split each of their last three weekends, winning one and losing one each time out
• Anna Williams and Mia Darden lead the offense with four goals each with Williams posting 11 points on the year and Darden 10. UT has seen 10 different players score at least once this year.
• Mica MacKay has seen most of the minutes in goal for UT, carrying a 1.40 goals-against average after allowing 11 goals and stopping 34 shots
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-GOLDEN HURRICANE
• Cincinnati holds a 5-2-0 all-time record against Tulsa in the series and won the last meeting, 3-2, at home last year
• The two teams have met only twice in Tulsa with the UT winning both contests, including a 2-0 decision in 2016 and a 2-1 score in 2014
• UC is 4-0-0 when playing Tulsa in Cincinnati and 1-0-0 at neutral sites
// THAT'S A FIRST
Last week, several firsts were achieved by Bearcats players, including:
• Dee Picou scored the game-tying goal against Lipscomb to net her first career score for the Bearcats, which came two weeks after she recorded her first career point and first career assist on the OT winner against NKU
• Julia Abbott's goal against LSU was not only her first of the year and third of her career, but also stands as her first career game-winning strike
• Freshman Vanessa DiNardo collected her first college point as she assisted on the winning goal against Lipscomb with a sweet back-heel pass to Vetere, who played into Sophie Gorman for the winning strike
• Bri Costigan assisted on the game-tying goal against LSU to pick-up her first point of the year and just her second career point after she assisted on a goal against Temple in 2016, the same match that started UC's current 18-match home undefeated streak
• Freshman Alli Pestaina earned her first career start, making her way into the Starting XI against Lipscomb
// ALMOST OVER THE HILL
The 2018 season marks the 39th varsity campaign for the Bearcats program. Through the match with LSU, Cincinnati's all-time record stands at 386-279-62 (.573), including a mark of 197-100-29 at home, leaving the team just three wins away from the 200-victory milestone.
// HOME STREAKING
Speaking of the success the Bearcats have enjoyed at home, the team is currently on an 18-match undefeated streak, dating back to the home finale in 2016, a 2-1 win over Temple. Holders of the second-longest streak in program history, UC posted an 8-0-3 record at Gettler Stadium last year and are 5-0-1 so far this season to build the mark. The record is 23 in a row which was set during the 1983-86 seasons.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Since the start of the 2013 season and including last week's matches with Lipscomb and LSU, the Bearcats have played 52 home matches, posting a 36-6-10 record in that time (.788 win percentage). Including 2018, UC has won at least five 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, 93-35 (+58). So far in 2018, the Bearcats are 5-0-1 at home and have out scored their opponents, 9-3.
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons, Stafford and his staff accumulated 32 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. Expanding into the first six years, Glenn's teams won 34 home matches (34-5-3) while Stafford's Bearcats now have won 37 (37-5-4) thanks to a 5-0-1 start to 2018.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 26 times and hold an impressive 23-0-3 record in those matches after posting a win over LSU this past weekend. In that span, the Bearcats have not only posted an impressive record, but also have outscored their foes, 53-12, while the defense has recorded 16 clean sheets. Two more 'Sunday Fun Days' remain on the schedule in 2018, including matches with Houston next week (Sept. 30) and UConn (Oct. 14) for Senior Day.
// PRO UPDATE: GILLES NETS HER FIRST
Vanessa Gilles and her Bordeaux side won their second match in a row last week, bettering Rodez, 2-0, with Gilles netting her first goal with the French Top Division side. With one match in hand, the Girondins are one of three teams perfect through three match days (Bordeaux's season opener was postponed) with perennial power Lyon and PSG topping the table with nine points while Bordeaux has six. Their next foe, F.C. Fleury 91 also sit on six points with a 2-1-0 record.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// CLOUD 9
Including the 0-0 draw with KU, the Bearcats are now undefeated in their last nine OT contests, posting a 1-0-8 record when playing past 90 minutes since dropping a 2-1 decision at Purdue in 2016. It marks the second time under Neil Stafford that the Bearcats have not lost in overtime in nine-consecutive matches with the first starting in the 2014 season with a 2-2 tie to visiting UC Santa Barbara and finished with a 2-1 win against visiting Dayton to start the 2016 season. The match that ended that streak? The 2-1 setback to Purdue in 2016. Those two stretches are the longest in program history with another nine-match streak from 1996-98 also joining in (5-0-4).
// HOME OVERTIME
When playing in home overtime matches, the Bearcats have been tough to beat recently as they are undefeated in their last 11, holding a 2-0-9 record. The last time UC lost in overtime at home came in 2013 in a 5-4 loss to Louisville. Prior to the current streak, the longest stretch of undefeated home overtime matches was six and came two times, first from 1996-98 (3-0-3) and then from 1999-03 (5-0-1). All told, the Bearcats are 18-19-29 all-time in home overtime contests.
// SPOT ON
At the 11:38 mark, Jill Vetere played the ball into the box and Brandi Thomsen was pulled down to earn a penalty kick for the Bearcats. Cassie Wheldon stepped up to the spot and coolly slotted her shot low and into the netting for a 1-0 lead. It was the first PK conversion for the Bearcats in over one year after Julie Gavorski scored from the spot on August 27, 2017, to secure a 1-0 win over visiting Miami (Fla.).
// BACK IN THE SCORING COLUMN
Wheldon's goal was the third of her career, but her first since 2015, her freshman campaign for the Bearcats. That year, she scored twice with the last coming October 18, 2015, when she knocked in the fourth and final goal of a 4-0 victory over visiting Evansville.
// RARE FINISH
The match at Auburn was the 725th in program history. In the 727 matches UC has played in its history, including the two last week, a match has only ended in a scoreless draw 22 times (0.03 percent). Of those 22 matches, seven have come in the last four seasons with two each in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons and once this year.
// MILESTONE MATCH
Of those 727 matches played, 326 have been played at home with last Thursday's match against Lipscomb standing as both the 325th all-time home match in program history, but also as the 250th played at Gettler Stadium. All-time, the Bearcats are 197-100-29 at home and sport a 138-86-26 record at Gettler Stadium/Meyers Field.
// PACKING THEM IN
The 1,194 fans that attended the Riverboat Rivalry match with Northern Kentucky (Aug. 26) ranks highly in program history attendance figures. That total stands as the sixth-largest home crowd in Bearcats history while also ranking as the 11th-largest UC has played before in its history. That attendance also means two of the Top 6 home crowds in UC history have come when the Norse have visited after the inaugural Riverboat Rivalry in 2016 drew 4,722 fans, a record for a women's college soccer game played in the state of Ohio.
// HELLO! MY NAME IS...
Nine true freshmen, one sophomore and a junior transfer make up this year's newest Bearcats. Junior Sydney Kilgore, a native of Cincinnati (Oak Hills HS) joins the program after playing for two years at Indiana while sophomore Ying Zhan, a native of China, is in her first year playing collegiate soccer. The rookies are comprised of four individuals from the Cincinnati area, including Emi Carlo (Lebanon HS), Kiley Keehan (Walnut Hills HS), Madison Lindsay (Lebanon HS) and Annie Metzger (Mason HS), three from the Cleveland area, including Vanessa DiNardo (Strongsville, Ohio), Camryn Hartman (Bay Village, Ohio) and Ally Sidloski (Strongsville, Ohio), and two others from outside of the state, including Wisconsin's Brandi Thomsen (Brookfield) and Massachusetts' Alli Pestaina (Brimfield).
// PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Two of the newcomers earned high honors ahead of joining the Bearcats. Brandi Thomsen twice earned player of the year honors in the state of Wisconsin, including being named the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year and the 2017 Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year. Vanessa DiNardo also earned a state honor as she was tabbed as the 2017 Ohio Division I State Player of the Year.
// SAME SCHOOL
While local players joining the program often hail from the same high schools as upperclassmen is nothing new for a collegiate program or, like this year, two sets of two teammates joining the program at the same time (DiNardo/Sidloski from Strongsville and Carlo/Lindsay from Lebanon), the addition of Alli Pestaina to the team brings with it another connection. Before coming to UC, Pestaina, a native of Brimfield, Mass., attended Worcester Academy, the same academy head coach Stafford attended during his prep days.
// WELCOME TO AMERICA!
Throughout the history of the program, the roster has featured several Canadian players with this year's team featuring a trio from north of the border in Claudia Eustaquio, Michelle Travassos and Cassie Wheldon. This year, though, a new country was added to the list with the arrival of Ying Zhan from Shenzhen, China. Along with the American and Canadian players that have appeared, only three other nations have been represented in program history, including Ana Farmer of Scotland (2004-06), Alana McShane of Northern Ireland (2013) and now Zhan.
// DOUBLE DIGIT WINS
Last year, UC won 12 matches, marking the fourth year in a row the team has won 10+ in a single season under Head Coach Neil Stafford. That streak ties for the second-best in program history and leaves the Bearcats one shy of equalling the all-time best. Currently, the four-year streak equals the 1980-83 and 1986-89 squads for second while the 1994-97 teams hold the mark with five in a row.
// CONTINUING TO IMPROVE
Before Stafford took over the program, UC had improved its season win percentage in two-consecutive seasons four times, with the most recent coming in 2000 (.727 from .447) and 2001 (.834 from .727). After the program finished with a win percentage of .250 in 2012 and Stafford came in, the team has raised its win percentage in all five seasons, posting marks of .425 (2013), .550 (2014), .646 (2015), .650 (2016) and .711 (2017).
// SORRY, THE GOAL IS CLOSED
One of the reasons the Bearcats have continued to raise its overall profile has been the outstanding defense it has played. In 2012, UC conceded 39 goals. Since then, that number has gone down every year under Stafford, reaching a miniscule total of 11 allowed in 2017, which tied for the fewest in a season. During that span, UC has allowed 37 (2013), 27 (2014), 22 (2015), 21 (2016) and 11 (2017).
// IN THE RPI
During the 2017 season, the Bearcats rose as high as #11 in the RPI data released by the NCAA, the highest ranking they have attained in program history. What is more impressive is where the program had come from. At the end of the 2012 season, Cincinnati's final RPI ranking was #227, meaning that, in the five years Stafford and his staff have guided the program, the Bearcats have clawed their way up 216 positions since the start of the 2013 season.
// BROUGHT HOME THE BAGEL
With the regular season finale - a 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 0.50 goals or less
// GORMAN GOALS
To get the 1-0 victory over ECU, 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
In 2017, the Bearcats 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.
// ACADEMICALLY SOUND
Last year, the Bearcats collectively sported a 3.50 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, 28 of the 31 women on the roster recorded a 3.00 GPA or better during the 2017-18 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 2017-18 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.
// UP NEXT
Conference action continues next week with the Bearcats welcoming the Texas schools for UC's first home AAC contests of the 2018 season. First, the Bearcats will play host to SMU Thursday, September 27, in a 7 p.m. match at Gettler Stadium. The weekend will come to a close Sunday, September 30, when the Houston Cougars visit Gettler Stadium at 1 p.m.