TicketsCINCINNATI - Jill Vetere tied it and Dee Picou netted the winner as the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team used two second-half goals score just five minutes apart to erase a 1-0 halftime deficit and win, 2-1, on the road at Tulsa Sunday afternoon inside Hurricane Stadium. The win, UC's fourth of the year when trailing 1-0 at intermission, pushed the Bearcats to 6-4-1 on the season and 1-1-0 in American Athletic Conference play while the Golden Hurricane fell to 5-5-1 overall and 1-1-0 in AAC play.
// QUICK NOTES
• Cincinnati improved to 6-4-1 overall and 1-1-0 (3 points) in AAC play while Tulsa fell to 5-5-1 overall and 1-1-0 (3 points) in the league
• UC is now 6-2-0 all-time against TU and has won two in a row after winning 1-0 in Cincinnati last year
• The win is the first at Tulsa in three tries and the first points UC has secured at TU in AAC play after falling, 2-1, in 2014 and, 2-0, in 2016. In fact, since joining the league in 2013, today's three points are the first points UC has collected on any of its three road trips to both Memphis (0-3-0) and Tulsa (1-2-0).
• Today's win marked the fourth time in 2018 that UC had trailed, 1-0, at halftime before winning the match, 2-1, with the previous three all coming in home matches. Also, it marks the third time in those matches the Bearcats scored both goals in the second half.
• Picou scored her second career goal and her first career game-winning goal as she netted the winner in the 68'
• Delaney Riester, who earned her first career start Sunday, assisted on the Picou winner, marking the first time she has recorded a point and the first assist of her career
• Vetere scored on a pass from Sydney Kilgore to bring her team-leading total to three goals in 2018, which also ties her career-high for goals in a season that she recorded last year
• Kilgore's assist was the first of her UC career, her third overall (two at Indiana) and her first since October 24, 2017, against Ohio State as a member of the IU team
• Claudia Eustaquio recorded three saves in the match to pick up the win in goal
// STAFFORD'S STANCE
"Today's result over Tulsa was important for several reasons," Head Coach Neil Stafford said. "We were asking a lot of ourselves after the Memphis game Thursday night. The coaches and staff really challenged the players emotionally, mentally and physically. We were up at the crack of dawn Friday and put the players through their paces. It was a character building session. We were all disappointed with the commitment, effort and performance the players had demonstrated. We evaluated ourselves through video and had transparent conversations with each other leaving people vulnerable. Friday and Saturday leading up to Tulsa were exhausting on several levels, but we knew it was important big picture-wise. We needed to learn about ourselves and each other and we did that.
"Fast forward to today against Tulsa and the players responded in fantastic fashion considering what they had endured. I know there was a certain level of fatigue going into Sunday, but we felt it was important towards our growth as individuals and as a group. I was happy that, in a fatigued state, we carried large amounts of the play on Sunday. Our back-pressing from our attackers was very good at times, we were physical and didn't let Tulsa's aggressive style cause us to lose our discipline. On the attacking side of the ball, we wore them down and took the two chances we scored on very well.
Overall, this was something to build upon. There is still a lot of work to do, but there were great reactions from this young side. We are now on to SMU."
// CIN 0:1 TULSA • 29'
The hosts opened the scoring at the 28:09 mark as Anna Williams tallied the goal. The play opened with a loose ball outside the area that TU's Addyson Guthrie collected and tipped forward to Williams, who was just inside the box. There, Williams turned and chipped her shot over the outstretched arms of Eustaquio to make it 1-0, a score line that would hold up the rest of the half.
// CIN 1:1 TULSA • 63'
In the second half, UC looked to gain a little momentum and continued to press forward. The pressure created the first goal. The Bearcats saw Michelle Travassos start the play with a throw-in that was played back to her on the touch line. Travassos then sent the ball toward the end line with Kilgore running under the ball and collecting the pass just outside the box. Kilgore then moved toward the end line and crossed the ball through traffic and across the face of goal where Vetere was waiting. The senior settled the ball and immediately fired a shot on goal with the ball hitting the back of the net to knot the score at 1-1.
// CIN 2:1 TULSA • 68'
Just five minutes later, the Bearcats were on the board once again with what would prove to be the winning strike. The play began with both teams trying to settle the ball near midfield and a TU player gaining possession. Riester was there and stripped the ball from her opponent and quickly moved toward goal where she saw Picou streaking down the left side. Riester played the ball through to Picou, who collected at the top of the box before clinically finishing her shot as she beat the keeper low and to the back post, hitting the side netting to make it 2-1 for the visitors.
// GOODS ON GOALS
With her goal, Picou netted her second career score and her second of the season. Her first goal came last week as she tied the match at 1-1 to start UC's 2-1 come-from-behind win over visiting Lipscomb. Picou's goal today against TU also marks the first game-winning goal of her career and gives the Bearcats its sixth different game-winning goal scorer of 2018.
For Vetere, her game-tying goal is her third score this year, the most of anyone on the UC roster in 2018. It also matches her career-high for goals in a season after she netted three last year in her first season with the program. For the year, Vetere leads all three points categories, including assists (3) and points (9).
// POINTS ON POINTS
Both players earning assists in the match recorded their first helpers at UC. Kilgore collected the third assist of her career and her first since October 24, 2017, when she assisted on a goal for Indiana in its match with Ohio State. Riester, who earned her first career start for the Bearcats, recorded her first career collegiate point and first collegiate assist.
// NEXT MATCH
UC will play its first two home conference matches of 2018 next week as the Bearcats will welcome both SMU and Houston to town. The Bearcats and Mustangs will meet a 7 p.m. Thursday night at Gettler Stadium before the Cougars come to town Sunday for a 1 p.m. AAC match. Admission is free for both matches and can be watched online at GoBearcats.com.
// 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 improved to 6-4-1 overall and 1-1-0 (3 points) in AAC play while Tulsa fell to 5-5-1 overall and 1-1-0 (3 points) in the league
• UC is now 6-2-0 all-time against TU and has won two in a row after winning 1-0 in Cincinnati last year
• The win is the first at Tulsa in three tries and the first points UC has secured at TU in AAC play after falling, 2-1, in 2014 and, 2-0, in 2016. In fact, since joining the league in 2013, today's three points are the first points UC has collected on any of its three road trips to both Memphis (0-3-0) and Tulsa (1-2-0).
• Today's win marked the fourth time in 2018 that UC had trailed, 1-0, at halftime before winning the match, 2-1, with the previous three all coming in home matches. Also, it marks the third time in those matches the Bearcats scored both goals in the second half.
• Picou scored her second career goal and her first career game-winning goal as she netted the winner in the 68'
• Delaney Riester, who earned her first career start Sunday, assisted on the Picou winner, marking the first time she has recorded a point and the first assist of her career
• Vetere scored on a pass from Sydney Kilgore to bring her team-leading total to three goals in 2018, which also ties her career-high for goals in a season that she recorded last year
• Kilgore's assist was the first of her UC career, her third overall (two at Indiana) and her first since October 24, 2017, against Ohio State as a member of the IU team
• Claudia Eustaquio recorded three saves in the match to pick up the win in goal
// STAFFORD'S STANCE
"Today's result over Tulsa was important for several reasons," Head Coach Neil Stafford said. "We were asking a lot of ourselves after the Memphis game Thursday night. The coaches and staff really challenged the players emotionally, mentally and physically. We were up at the crack of dawn Friday and put the players through their paces. It was a character building session. We were all disappointed with the commitment, effort and performance the players had demonstrated. We evaluated ourselves through video and had transparent conversations with each other leaving people vulnerable. Friday and Saturday leading up to Tulsa were exhausting on several levels, but we knew it was important big picture-wise. We needed to learn about ourselves and each other and we did that.
"Fast forward to today against Tulsa and the players responded in fantastic fashion considering what they had endured. I know there was a certain level of fatigue going into Sunday, but we felt it was important towards our growth as individuals and as a group. I was happy that, in a fatigued state, we carried large amounts of the play on Sunday. Our back-pressing from our attackers was very good at times, we were physical and didn't let Tulsa's aggressive style cause us to lose our discipline. On the attacking side of the ball, we wore them down and took the two chances we scored on very well.
Overall, this was something to build upon. There is still a lot of work to do, but there were great reactions from this young side. We are now on to SMU."
// CIN 0:1 TULSA • 29'
The hosts opened the scoring at the 28:09 mark as Anna Williams tallied the goal. The play opened with a loose ball outside the area that TU's Addyson Guthrie collected and tipped forward to Williams, who was just inside the box. There, Williams turned and chipped her shot over the outstretched arms of Eustaquio to make it 1-0, a score line that would hold up the rest of the half.
// CIN 1:1 TULSA • 63'
In the second half, UC looked to gain a little momentum and continued to press forward. The pressure created the first goal. The Bearcats saw Michelle Travassos start the play with a throw-in that was played back to her on the touch line. Travassos then sent the ball toward the end line with Kilgore running under the ball and collecting the pass just outside the box. Kilgore then moved toward the end line and crossed the ball through traffic and across the face of goal where Vetere was waiting. The senior settled the ball and immediately fired a shot on goal with the ball hitting the back of the net to knot the score at 1-1.
// CIN 2:1 TULSA • 68'
Just five minutes later, the Bearcats were on the board once again with what would prove to be the winning strike. The play began with both teams trying to settle the ball near midfield and a TU player gaining possession. Riester was there and stripped the ball from her opponent and quickly moved toward goal where she saw Picou streaking down the left side. Riester played the ball through to Picou, who collected at the top of the box before clinically finishing her shot as she beat the keeper low and to the back post, hitting the side netting to make it 2-1 for the visitors.
// GOODS ON GOALS
With her goal, Picou netted her second career score and her second of the season. Her first goal came last week as she tied the match at 1-1 to start UC's 2-1 come-from-behind win over visiting Lipscomb. Picou's goal today against TU also marks the first game-winning goal of her career and gives the Bearcats its sixth different game-winning goal scorer of 2018.
For Vetere, her game-tying goal is her third score this year, the most of anyone on the UC roster in 2018. It also matches her career-high for goals in a season after she netted three last year in her first season with the program. For the year, Vetere leads all three points categories, including assists (3) and points (9).
// POINTS ON POINTS
Both players earning assists in the match recorded their first helpers at UC. Kilgore collected the third assist of her career and her first since October 24, 2017, when she assisted on a goal for Indiana in its match with Ohio State. Riester, who earned her first career start for the Bearcats, recorded her first career collegiate point and first collegiate assist.
// NEXT MATCH
UC will play its first two home conference matches of 2018 next week as the Bearcats will welcome both SMU and Houston to town. The Bearcats and Mustangs will meet a 7 p.m. Thursday night at Gettler Stadium before the Cougars come to town Sunday for a 1 p.m. AAC match. Admission is free for both matches and can be watched online at GoBearcats.com.
// 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.