Tickets// THE OPENING WHISTLE
The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team is set for a pair matches with nationally ranked and undefeated opponents this week as the Bearcats will welcome #16/#25 Kansas to town Thursday night before traveling south to face #10/#17 Auburn Sunday. UC (3-2-0) will open the week with a visit from the Jayhawks (5-0-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday night at Gettler Stadium with fans being encouraged to join the team in wearing red. Then, the Bearcats will hit the road to face their nationally ranked foe at their home venue, this time meeting the Tigers (6-0-0) in a noon local (1 p.m. ET) match at the Auburn Soccer Complex in Auburn, Ala.
// BE RED-Y
Thursday's match with visiting Kansas will be the team's annual Wear Red match. The team will be wearing their red kits and fans attending the match are encouraged to join the team in wearing red as well.
// 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
All home matches in 2018 will once again be streamed live on GoBearcats.com and, once again this year, will all be free. The link to the stream can be found on the women's soccer schedule page. On the same page, links to live statistics can also be found.
// EXPERIENCE UC
All home matches in 2018 will once again be part of the Experience UC initiative, which is 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, tennis, soccer, swimming & diving and track & field home events.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 3-2-0 on the year with a perfect 3-0-0 mark at home and 0-2-0 record on the road
• The Bearcats are set to play their third in a row as well as their third and fourth nationally ranked foes of the young season after falling at #8/#5 Virginia (0-3) and at rv/#25 Notre Dame (1-2)
• When UC plays at Auburn Sunday, it will mark the second time this year the Bearcats have squared off with a Top 10-ranked team as the Tigers are #10 this week (United Soccer Coaches)
• Both matches this week will mark the first time the Bearcats have faced either opponent in the history of the program (started in 1980)
• UC is currently undefeated at home in its last 15 matches (12-0-3), the second-longest streak in program history behind the 23-match streak from the mid 1980's (1983-86)
• Need 5: UC is 5 wins shy of 200 home victories in program history
• Sydney Kilgore took over the scoring lead with her second goal of the year in a 2-1 loss at Notre Dame, which also tied her career high for goals in a season (2 with Indiana in 2016)
• An average of 21.8 players see time on the pitch each match for the Bearcats with 25 playing at against Wright State, 22 against NKU and 23 at Notre Dame most recently
• 19 different Bearcats have earned at least one start this year, including Michelle Travassos, who earned her a spot in the Starting XI for the first time in her career at Notre Dame
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats are not ranked in the national polls this week and slipped one position in the United Soccer Coaches South Regional rankings, sitting in fifth this week behind USF, SMU, North Texas and Florida Golf Coast. Nationally, the Bearcats have three opponents remaining on the schedule that hold positions in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 this week, including #16 Kansas, #10 Auburn and #20 USF while both SMU and UCF are receiving votes.
// KNOW THE FOE: #16 KANSAS
• The Jayhawks enter the week with a 5-0-1 record on the year with a 4-0-0 mark at home and a 1-0-1 record in neutral site matches
• Kansas has outscored its opponents, 11-2, on the year with four shutouts recorded and a pair of 1-0 wins over nationally ranked foes (#18 Pepperdine and #25 Butler)
• Katie McClure leads the team in goals (5), assists (3) and points (13) with Taylor Christie chipping in three goals of her own as the duo are two of nine different players that have recorded at least one point on the year
• Sarah Peters has played every minute in goal this year, allowing two goals and saving nine more shots faced for a 0.31 goals-against average and an 81.8 save percentage
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-JAYHAWKS
• Thursday's match will be the first in the series between the two programs
• The Bearcats are 2-3-0 all-time against the current members of the Big XII Conference and have lost the last three matches, including two in a row to West Virginia when both teams were members of the Big East
• Kansas is only the third current member of the Big XII that Cincinnati has faced with TCU and West Virginia being the others
// KNOW THE FOE: #16 AUBURN
• The Tigers enter the match with a perfect 6-0-0 record and have outscored its opponents, 19-2, so far this year with four shutouts recorded
• Auburn has a trio of players with three or more goals scored already this year, including Bri Folds, who has tallied four goals and added five assists for a team-high 13 points. Jessie Gerow (3g-1a-7p) and Angeline Daly (3g-0a-6p) are the two other players that have found the back of the net three times this year with Treva Aycock and Jaelyn Gadson also have scored twice each
• 15 players have recorded at least 1 point so far this year with 10 having scored at least one goal
• Sarah Le Beau has played most of the minutes in goal this year, allowing two goals and saving 18 shots for a 0.35 goals-against average while saving shots at 90.0 percent clip
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-TIGERS
• Sunday's match will be the first in the series between the two programs
• The Bearcats hold an all-time record of 15-18-1 against the current members of the SEC and lost the last meeting with the league, a 1-0 setback at LSU last year
• Auburn will be the ninth different school from the current SEC that the Bearcats have played with the previous teams met including Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt
// NOT TOO OFTEN
When the Bearcats venture to Auburn, Ala., it will mark just the second time UC has played a non-conference match in the Heart of Dixie with the first coming in 2014, a 2-1 overtime victory at Samford (Birmingham). The Bearcats are no stranger to the state, however, as UC and UAB both called Conference USA home at one time. The two sides met 10 times from 1996-04 with the Bearcats holding a slim 5-4-1 record, including a 3-3-0 record in Birmingham.
// COMMON FOES
While UC and KU don't share a common opponent this year, the Bearcats and Tigers do as Auburn has already played USF, defeating the AAC member, 2-1, in Auburn, Ala., earlier this season. In the next two weeks, UC and AU will also play another common opponent in LSU with the Bearcats facing the Tigers on September 16 in Cincinnati before Auburn travels to LSU on September 20 for their second SEC match of the season.
// RECAP • CINCINNATI 1:2 NOTRE DAME
• Cincinnati dropped a 2-1 decision at rv/#25 Notre Dame in it's most recent match (last Thursday)
• Sydney Kilgore put the Bearcats ahead in the 58' minute as she struck home a rebound from Cassie Wheldon's long-range attempt, her second goal of the year
• UND responded with goal in the 65' to pull level before taking the lead in the 72'
• Madison Less stopped six shots on the night, just two shy of her career high set last year
• Michelle Travassos earned her first collegiate start and was the 19th different Bearcat to earn at least one start so far this year
• With the loss, UC fell to 1-14-1 all-time in the series with the Irish with UND winning for the 10th time in a row
• The one-goal score line marked just the fourth time in the series a match has been decided by one goal or less while the two goals allowed to UND marked just the fourth time the UC defense limited the Irish to two or fewer goals in the series
// MORE FOR KILGORE
With her goal against the Fighting Irish, Kilgore now has two on the season, which also ties her single-season career best after she tallied twice for Indiana in her rookie season of 2016. After not scoring for the Hoosiers in 2017 before transferring to UC, Kilgore has needed just five matches to strike twice after posting two goals and two assists in her 36 appearances for IU.
// ALMOST OVER THE HILL
The 2018 season marks the 39th varsity campaign for the Bearcats program. Through last week's match at Notre Dame, Cincinnati's all-time record stands at 384-278-61 (.573), including a mark of 195-100-28 at home, leaving the team just five wins away from the 200-victory milestone.
// HOME STREAKING
Speaking of the success the Bearcats have enjoyed at home, the team is currently on a 15-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 3-0-0 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, the Bearcats have played 49 home matches, posting a 34-6-9 record in that time (.786 win percentage). Including 2017, UC has won at least four 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, 89-33 (+56). So far in 2018, the Bearcats are 3-0-0 at home and have out scored their opponents, 5-1.
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons (including 2017), Stafford and his staff accumulated 31 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.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 25 times and hold an impressive 22-0-3 record in those matches after posting a win over Northern Kentucky this past weekend. In that span, the Bearcats have not only posted an impressive record, but also have outscored their foes, 51-11, while the defense has recorded 16 clean sheets. Three more 'Sunday Fun Days' remain on the schedule in 2018, including matches with LSU (Sept. 16), Houston (Sept. 30) and UConn (Oct. 14).
// SEEING TIME
So far this season, an average of 21.8 Bearcats are earning minutes each match with a season-high 25 playing against Wright State. Three keepers also have earned time between the posts with Madison Less and Claudia Eustaquio each earning a pair of starts and Jane Sensibaugh one.
// PRO UPDATE
Vanessa Gilles, a 2018 graduate from UC and one of the most decorated players in program history, signed a two-year contract with Bordeaux in France's Division I and has been preparing for the start of the season with her new team. The team's first match of the season was set for August 24 against Metz, but was postponed as several Metz players had just returned from national team duties at the U20 World Cup. The team spent August playing four friendlies, winning three and drawing once. This Saturday, Bordeaux will see its first D1 action as it travels to play Montpellier HSC.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// VETERE HONORED BY AAC
With her strong performances against both Wright State and Northern Kentucky, Jill Vetere was selected to the American Athletic Conference's Weekly Honor Roll. Vetere set up the game-winner against WSU (her pass to Kilgore preceded Kilgore dancing free and fire the ball into the net) and also earned an assist on the second goal against the Raiders before scoring the winning goal against the Norse in overtime.
// ADDING TO THE HAUL
Vetere's honor is the second earned by the Bearcats this season after Thomsen was named the rookie of the week August 20. All told, Vetere is one of 14 players that have been named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll since the league formed in 2013. With her selection this week, Vetere has earned the 35th all-time honor roll selection for the Bearcats program.
// 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 program 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.
// EXTRA TIME
The last time the Bearcats won an overtime match was the opener of the 2016 season when they defeated visiting Dayton, 2-1, on Julie Gavorski's dart from outside the box with 16 second remaining in double overtime. With the win Sunday, the Bearcats have inched closer to a .500 win percentage in overtime matches as they now stand 33-34-61 all-time.
// 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 Neil 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 on the rosters, 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, the Bearcats won 12 matches, marking the fourth year in a row the team has won 10+ in a single season under 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 one-half of one goal 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
The Bearcats return to action next week with a pair of home matches that will also close out the non-conference portion of the 2018 slate. First, UC will play host to Lipscomb in a 7 p.m. match at Gettler Stadium Thursday, September 13. Then, LSU visits for a 1 p.m. Sunday match at Gettler Stadium, closing out the first half of the season.
The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team is set for a pair matches with nationally ranked and undefeated opponents this week as the Bearcats will welcome #16/#25 Kansas to town Thursday night before traveling south to face #10/#17 Auburn Sunday. UC (3-2-0) will open the week with a visit from the Jayhawks (5-0-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday night at Gettler Stadium with fans being encouraged to join the team in wearing red. Then, the Bearcats will hit the road to face their nationally ranked foe at their home venue, this time meeting the Tigers (6-0-0) in a noon local (1 p.m. ET) match at the Auburn Soccer Complex in Auburn, Ala.
// BE RED-Y
Thursday's match with visiting Kansas will be the team's annual Wear Red match. The team will be wearing their red kits and fans attending the match are encouraged to join the team in wearing red as well.
// 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
All home matches in 2018 will once again be streamed live on GoBearcats.com and, once again this year, will all be free. The link to the stream can be found on the women's soccer schedule page. On the same page, links to live statistics can also be found.
// EXPERIENCE UC
All home matches in 2018 will once again be part of the Experience UC initiative, which is 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, tennis, soccer, swimming & diving and track & field home events.
// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 3-2-0 on the year with a perfect 3-0-0 mark at home and 0-2-0 record on the road
• The Bearcats are set to play their third in a row as well as their third and fourth nationally ranked foes of the young season after falling at #8/#5 Virginia (0-3) and at rv/#25 Notre Dame (1-2)
• When UC plays at Auburn Sunday, it will mark the second time this year the Bearcats have squared off with a Top 10-ranked team as the Tigers are #10 this week (United Soccer Coaches)
• Both matches this week will mark the first time the Bearcats have faced either opponent in the history of the program (started in 1980)
• UC is currently undefeated at home in its last 15 matches (12-0-3), the second-longest streak in program history behind the 23-match streak from the mid 1980's (1983-86)
• Need 5: UC is 5 wins shy of 200 home victories in program history
• Sydney Kilgore took over the scoring lead with her second goal of the year in a 2-1 loss at Notre Dame, which also tied her career high for goals in a season (2 with Indiana in 2016)
• An average of 21.8 players see time on the pitch each match for the Bearcats with 25 playing at against Wright State, 22 against NKU and 23 at Notre Dame most recently
• 19 different Bearcats have earned at least one start this year, including Michelle Travassos, who earned her a spot in the Starting XI for the first time in her career at Notre Dame
// IN THE RANKINGS
The Bearcats are not ranked in the national polls this week and slipped one position in the United Soccer Coaches South Regional rankings, sitting in fifth this week behind USF, SMU, North Texas and Florida Golf Coast. Nationally, the Bearcats have three opponents remaining on the schedule that hold positions in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 this week, including #16 Kansas, #10 Auburn and #20 USF while both SMU and UCF are receiving votes.
// KNOW THE FOE: #16 KANSAS
• The Jayhawks enter the week with a 5-0-1 record on the year with a 4-0-0 mark at home and a 1-0-1 record in neutral site matches
• Kansas has outscored its opponents, 11-2, on the year with four shutouts recorded and a pair of 1-0 wins over nationally ranked foes (#18 Pepperdine and #25 Butler)
• Katie McClure leads the team in goals (5), assists (3) and points (13) with Taylor Christie chipping in three goals of her own as the duo are two of nine different players that have recorded at least one point on the year
• Sarah Peters has played every minute in goal this year, allowing two goals and saving nine more shots faced for a 0.31 goals-against average and an 81.8 save percentage
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-JAYHAWKS
• Thursday's match will be the first in the series between the two programs
• The Bearcats are 2-3-0 all-time against the current members of the Big XII Conference and have lost the last three matches, including two in a row to West Virginia when both teams were members of the Big East
• Kansas is only the third current member of the Big XII that Cincinnati has faced with TCU and West Virginia being the others
// KNOW THE FOE: #16 AUBURN
• The Tigers enter the match with a perfect 6-0-0 record and have outscored its opponents, 19-2, so far this year with four shutouts recorded
• Auburn has a trio of players with three or more goals scored already this year, including Bri Folds, who has tallied four goals and added five assists for a team-high 13 points. Jessie Gerow (3g-1a-7p) and Angeline Daly (3g-0a-6p) are the two other players that have found the back of the net three times this year with Treva Aycock and Jaelyn Gadson also have scored twice each
• 15 players have recorded at least 1 point so far this year with 10 having scored at least one goal
• Sarah Le Beau has played most of the minutes in goal this year, allowing two goals and saving 18 shots for a 0.35 goals-against average while saving shots at 90.0 percent clip
// NOTING THE SERIES: BEARCATS-TIGERS
• Sunday's match will be the first in the series between the two programs
• The Bearcats hold an all-time record of 15-18-1 against the current members of the SEC and lost the last meeting with the league, a 1-0 setback at LSU last year
• Auburn will be the ninth different school from the current SEC that the Bearcats have played with the previous teams met including Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt
// NOT TOO OFTEN
When the Bearcats venture to Auburn, Ala., it will mark just the second time UC has played a non-conference match in the Heart of Dixie with the first coming in 2014, a 2-1 overtime victory at Samford (Birmingham). The Bearcats are no stranger to the state, however, as UC and UAB both called Conference USA home at one time. The two sides met 10 times from 1996-04 with the Bearcats holding a slim 5-4-1 record, including a 3-3-0 record in Birmingham.
// COMMON FOES
While UC and KU don't share a common opponent this year, the Bearcats and Tigers do as Auburn has already played USF, defeating the AAC member, 2-1, in Auburn, Ala., earlier this season. In the next two weeks, UC and AU will also play another common opponent in LSU with the Bearcats facing the Tigers on September 16 in Cincinnati before Auburn travels to LSU on September 20 for their second SEC match of the season.
// RECAP • CINCINNATI 1:2 NOTRE DAME
• Cincinnati dropped a 2-1 decision at rv/#25 Notre Dame in it's most recent match (last Thursday)
• Sydney Kilgore put the Bearcats ahead in the 58' minute as she struck home a rebound from Cassie Wheldon's long-range attempt, her second goal of the year
• UND responded with goal in the 65' to pull level before taking the lead in the 72'
• Madison Less stopped six shots on the night, just two shy of her career high set last year
• Michelle Travassos earned her first collegiate start and was the 19th different Bearcat to earn at least one start so far this year
• With the loss, UC fell to 1-14-1 all-time in the series with the Irish with UND winning for the 10th time in a row
• The one-goal score line marked just the fourth time in the series a match has been decided by one goal or less while the two goals allowed to UND marked just the fourth time the UC defense limited the Irish to two or fewer goals in the series
// MORE FOR KILGORE
With her goal against the Fighting Irish, Kilgore now has two on the season, which also ties her single-season career best after she tallied twice for Indiana in her rookie season of 2016. After not scoring for the Hoosiers in 2017 before transferring to UC, Kilgore has needed just five matches to strike twice after posting two goals and two assists in her 36 appearances for IU.
// ALMOST OVER THE HILL
The 2018 season marks the 39th varsity campaign for the Bearcats program. Through last week's match at Notre Dame, Cincinnati's all-time record stands at 384-278-61 (.573), including a mark of 195-100-28 at home, leaving the team just five wins away from the 200-victory milestone.
// HOME STREAKING
Speaking of the success the Bearcats have enjoyed at home, the team is currently on a 15-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 3-0-0 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, the Bearcats have played 49 home matches, posting a 34-6-9 record in that time (.786 win percentage). Including 2017, UC has won at least four 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, 89-33 (+56). So far in 2018, the Bearcats are 3-0-0 at home and have out scored their opponents, 5-1.
// FRIENDLY CONFINES
In their first five seasons (including 2017), Stafford and his staff accumulated 31 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.
// SUNDAY FUN DAY!
Since Stafford took over the program in time for the 2013 season, the Bearcats have played at home on Sunday 25 times and hold an impressive 22-0-3 record in those matches after posting a win over Northern Kentucky this past weekend. In that span, the Bearcats have not only posted an impressive record, but also have outscored their foes, 51-11, while the defense has recorded 16 clean sheets. Three more 'Sunday Fun Days' remain on the schedule in 2018, including matches with LSU (Sept. 16), Houston (Sept. 30) and UConn (Oct. 14).
// SEEING TIME
So far this season, an average of 21.8 Bearcats are earning minutes each match with a season-high 25 playing against Wright State. Three keepers also have earned time between the posts with Madison Less and Claudia Eustaquio each earning a pair of starts and Jane Sensibaugh one.
// PRO UPDATE
Vanessa Gilles, a 2018 graduate from UC and one of the most decorated players in program history, signed a two-year contract with Bordeaux in France's Division I and has been preparing for the start of the season with her new team. The team's first match of the season was set for August 24 against Metz, but was postponed as several Metz players had just returned from national team duties at the U20 World Cup. The team spent August playing four friendlies, winning three and drawing once. This Saturday, Bordeaux will see its first D1 action as it travels to play Montpellier HSC.
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// VETERE HONORED BY AAC
With her strong performances against both Wright State and Northern Kentucky, Jill Vetere was selected to the American Athletic Conference's Weekly Honor Roll. Vetere set up the game-winner against WSU (her pass to Kilgore preceded Kilgore dancing free and fire the ball into the net) and also earned an assist on the second goal against the Raiders before scoring the winning goal against the Norse in overtime.
// ADDING TO THE HAUL
Vetere's honor is the second earned by the Bearcats this season after Thomsen was named the rookie of the week August 20. All told, Vetere is one of 14 players that have been named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll since the league formed in 2013. With her selection this week, Vetere has earned the 35th all-time honor roll selection for the Bearcats program.
// 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 program 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.
// EXTRA TIME
The last time the Bearcats won an overtime match was the opener of the 2016 season when they defeated visiting Dayton, 2-1, on Julie Gavorski's dart from outside the box with 16 second remaining in double overtime. With the win Sunday, the Bearcats have inched closer to a .500 win percentage in overtime matches as they now stand 33-34-61 all-time.
// 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 Neil 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 on the rosters, 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, the Bearcats won 12 matches, marking the fourth year in a row the team has won 10+ in a single season under 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 one-half of one goal 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
The Bearcats return to action next week with a pair of home matches that will also close out the non-conference portion of the 2018 slate. First, UC will play host to Lipscomb in a 7 p.m. match at Gettler Stadium Thursday, September 13. Then, LSU visits for a 1 p.m. Sunday match at Gettler Stadium, closing out the first half of the season.