TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team, coming off a gritty 0-0 draw at home to #16 Kansas Thursday night, faced another stiff test Sunday as they took an early lead, but it was not enough as the Bearcats dropped a 3-1 decision to #10 Auburn in an afternoon match at the Auburn Soccer Complex in Auburn, Ala. The loss saw UC fall to 3-3-1 on the year and 0-3-0 on the road while the Tigers improved to 7-0-0 overall.
// QUICK NOTES
• Cincinnati fell to 3-3-1 on the year while Auburn improved to 7-0-0, their best start in program history
• The Bearcats are now 0-3-0 on the road this season with all three matches coming against nationally-ranked opponents, including #8 Virginia, #25 Notre Dame and #10 Auburn
• Wheldon scored the lone goal for UC, netting her first goal of the year and her first since the 2015 season as she converted from the penalty spot early in the game
• Wheldon's spot kick was the first for the Bearcats in over a year after Julie Gavorski converted against Miami (Fla.) last year (8/27/17) in a 1-0 home win against the Hurricanes
• With the goal, UC is just the second team to score on Auburn in the opening half of play this year and tallied just the third goal overall
• Madison Less posted four saves in the contest, including a pair of diving stabs to keep the Bearcats in the match
• UC had 13 shots in the match with Sophie Gorman firing four of those shots, two of which were on frame, while Brandi Thomsen posted a pair of shots, the most in a single game for the rookie so far this year
// STAFFORD'S STANCE
"I thought the effort and character of the team today was outstanding," Head Coach Neil Stafford said following the loss. "We fell short on the result, but we're making strides in areas that will impact us positively over the long run. We did a good job scheduling our non-conference games this year and we're absolutely better for it. I felt the score-line was a bit harsh for our efforts today; giving up a goal with a minute to play when you're pushing numbers forward is harsh, but, nonetheless, we can leave Alabama proud of where we are as a program.
I was pleased with how we attacked the game today. We absorbed a lot of pressure, which you have to do against a Top 10 team on the road. We allowed some things to come to us and that helped us with our counter attack. We let ourselves down in possession at times with our shorter passes and, at this level, you have to connect more over 8-10 yards. We did really well clogging up the channels and not allowing them to play through us. We knew their wingbacks we're instrumental in their attack and, apart from one mistake, we did well containing them. For us to continue growing, we are going to have to address our lack of quality in the final third with our decision making and the final ball.
I also want to acknowledge all the work our Sports Science team is doing with our athletes. Bob Mangine, Dr. Thomas Palmer, Tommy Chadwell, Mary Ankrom and Angela Bruzina are helping us prepare and recover incredibly well. No one in the stands today would have known we went into OT with #16 Kansas Thursday night and Auburn had only the one contest this week. That says volumes about our mental and physical strength, too.
Our players are learning so much about what they're capable of mentally, emotionally and physically. That bodes well for our confidence to grow as individuals and as a group. We're on to our matches with Lipscomb and LSU and looking to finish our non-conference schedule with a couple of good performances and results."
// CIN 1:0 AUBURN
The Bearcats got on the board first with Wheldon scoring from the spot in the 12'. The play began with Jill Vetere sending an arching pass into the area with Thomsen running on to the pass. Thomsen was bodied off the ball and pulled down, forcing the match official to signal for the penalty. At the spot, Wheldon stepped up and calmly placed her shot into the corner of the netting for a 1-0 lead.
The goal for Wheldon is the first penalty conversion for the Bearcats in over one year. The last UC scored on a spot kick came August 27, 2017, when Julie Gavorski scored against visiting Miami (Fla.) in a 1-0 Bearcats win. Wheldon's goal also is the third of her UC career and her first since her rookie season of 2015 when she tallied the fourth and final goal of a 4-0 home win over Evansville.
// CIN 1:1 AUBURN
The hosts pulled level just under three minutes later with a goal in the 15'. The Tigers cleared their defensive third and carried the ball forward down the flank where Bri Folds drove to the outside of the box and slid a pass in toward the front post. There, Treva Aycock was able to tip the ball just over the hands of UC keeper Less to knot the match at 1-1.
// CIN 1:2 AUBURN
The Tigers took the lead in the 60' in a similar fashion to how the Bearcats did earlier in the day as the hosts converted a penalty kick of their own. On the play, the ball was played to the top of the box where a shot was fired and hit a Bearcats defender in the arm, resulting in a penalty being whistled. At the spot, Folds took aim at the goal and scored as she hit over a diving Less, who guessed correctly on the shot side, but was unable to get a hand on the attempt.
// CIN 1:3 AUBURN
UC continued to look for an equalizer throughout the rest of the game before the hosts added an insurance score in the 89'. The Tigers took control of the ball near midfield with Angeline Daly carrying forward. She got to the top of the area and passed off to Aycock, who quickly completed the give-and-go, setting the ball in front of Daly, who hit home into the upper 90 for the final score of the game.
// MAKING SAVES
Less recorded four saves on the day and did so in spectacular fashion several times in the second half to help keep the visitors in contention to earn a result. Just two minutes into the second stanza, a shot was fired low to the right side of the goal with Less sliding on her side and snagging the shot to prevent a second AU goal. Then, in the 70' and UC trailing by one, Less was up to the task again, this time diving to her left to get a hand on a shot and preventing it from going into the goal just inside the post.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats return home next week for a pair of matches to close out the non-conference portion of their 2018 slate. First, UC will welcome Lipscomb to Gettler Stadium Thursday night for a 7 p.m. clash with the Bisons before the Bearcats and LSU Tigers close out the weekend with a 1 p.m. start Sunday.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.
// EXPERIENCE UC
The University of Cincinnati department of athletics announced an initiative entitled Experience UC, geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming & diving and track & field home events.
// QUICK NOTES
• Cincinnati fell to 3-3-1 on the year while Auburn improved to 7-0-0, their best start in program history
• The Bearcats are now 0-3-0 on the road this season with all three matches coming against nationally-ranked opponents, including #8 Virginia, #25 Notre Dame and #10 Auburn
• Wheldon scored the lone goal for UC, netting her first goal of the year and her first since the 2015 season as she converted from the penalty spot early in the game
• Wheldon's spot kick was the first for the Bearcats in over a year after Julie Gavorski converted against Miami (Fla.) last year (8/27/17) in a 1-0 home win against the Hurricanes
• With the goal, UC is just the second team to score on Auburn in the opening half of play this year and tallied just the third goal overall
• Madison Less posted four saves in the contest, including a pair of diving stabs to keep the Bearcats in the match
• UC had 13 shots in the match with Sophie Gorman firing four of those shots, two of which were on frame, while Brandi Thomsen posted a pair of shots, the most in a single game for the rookie so far this year
// STAFFORD'S STANCE
"I thought the effort and character of the team today was outstanding," Head Coach Neil Stafford said following the loss. "We fell short on the result, but we're making strides in areas that will impact us positively over the long run. We did a good job scheduling our non-conference games this year and we're absolutely better for it. I felt the score-line was a bit harsh for our efforts today; giving up a goal with a minute to play when you're pushing numbers forward is harsh, but, nonetheless, we can leave Alabama proud of where we are as a program.
I was pleased with how we attacked the game today. We absorbed a lot of pressure, which you have to do against a Top 10 team on the road. We allowed some things to come to us and that helped us with our counter attack. We let ourselves down in possession at times with our shorter passes and, at this level, you have to connect more over 8-10 yards. We did really well clogging up the channels and not allowing them to play through us. We knew their wingbacks we're instrumental in their attack and, apart from one mistake, we did well containing them. For us to continue growing, we are going to have to address our lack of quality in the final third with our decision making and the final ball.
I also want to acknowledge all the work our Sports Science team is doing with our athletes. Bob Mangine, Dr. Thomas Palmer, Tommy Chadwell, Mary Ankrom and Angela Bruzina are helping us prepare and recover incredibly well. No one in the stands today would have known we went into OT with #16 Kansas Thursday night and Auburn had only the one contest this week. That says volumes about our mental and physical strength, too.
Our players are learning so much about what they're capable of mentally, emotionally and physically. That bodes well for our confidence to grow as individuals and as a group. We're on to our matches with Lipscomb and LSU and looking to finish our non-conference schedule with a couple of good performances and results."
// CIN 1:0 AUBURN
The Bearcats got on the board first with Wheldon scoring from the spot in the 12'. The play began with Jill Vetere sending an arching pass into the area with Thomsen running on to the pass. Thomsen was bodied off the ball and pulled down, forcing the match official to signal for the penalty. At the spot, Wheldon stepped up and calmly placed her shot into the corner of the netting for a 1-0 lead.
The goal for Wheldon is the first penalty conversion for the Bearcats in over one year. The last UC scored on a spot kick came August 27, 2017, when Julie Gavorski scored against visiting Miami (Fla.) in a 1-0 Bearcats win. Wheldon's goal also is the third of her UC career and her first since her rookie season of 2015 when she tallied the fourth and final goal of a 4-0 home win over Evansville.
// CIN 1:1 AUBURN
The hosts pulled level just under three minutes later with a goal in the 15'. The Tigers cleared their defensive third and carried the ball forward down the flank where Bri Folds drove to the outside of the box and slid a pass in toward the front post. There, Treva Aycock was able to tip the ball just over the hands of UC keeper Less to knot the match at 1-1.
// CIN 1:2 AUBURN
The Tigers took the lead in the 60' in a similar fashion to how the Bearcats did earlier in the day as the hosts converted a penalty kick of their own. On the play, the ball was played to the top of the box where a shot was fired and hit a Bearcats defender in the arm, resulting in a penalty being whistled. At the spot, Folds took aim at the goal and scored as she hit over a diving Less, who guessed correctly on the shot side, but was unable to get a hand on the attempt.
// CIN 1:3 AUBURN
UC continued to look for an equalizer throughout the rest of the game before the hosts added an insurance score in the 89'. The Tigers took control of the ball near midfield with Angeline Daly carrying forward. She got to the top of the area and passed off to Aycock, who quickly completed the give-and-go, setting the ball in front of Daly, who hit home into the upper 90 for the final score of the game.
// MAKING SAVES
Less recorded four saves on the day and did so in spectacular fashion several times in the second half to help keep the visitors in contention to earn a result. Just two minutes into the second stanza, a shot was fired low to the right side of the goal with Less sliding on her side and snagging the shot to prevent a second AU goal. Then, in the 70' and UC trailing by one, Less was up to the task again, this time diving to her left to get a hand on a shot and preventing it from going into the goal just inside the post.
// NEXT MATCH
The Bearcats return home next week for a pair of matches to close out the non-conference portion of their 2018 slate. First, UC will welcome Lipscomb to Gettler Stadium Thursday night for a 7 p.m. clash with the Bisons before the Bearcats and LSU Tigers close out the weekend with a 1 p.m. start Sunday.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.
// EXPERIENCE UC
The University of Cincinnati department of athletics announced an initiative entitled Experience UC, geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming & diving and track & field home events.