TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team received strong performances from several of the program's younger players, including a career-high six shots from Vanessa DiNardo and nine saves from sophomore Madison Less, but it was not enough as the Bearcats dropped a 1-0 decision to host ECU Friday night inside rain-soaked Johnson Stadium in Greenville, N.C. With the loss, the Bearcats fell to 6-9-3 overall and 1-6-2 in American Athletic Conference play while the Pirates improved to 9-5-2 overall and 4-4-0 in league action.
// QUICK NOTES
• Cincinnati fell to 6-9-3 overall and 1-6-2 in the AAC while ECU moved to 9-5-2 overall and 4-4-0 in AAC play
• The Bearcats all-time record in the series drops to 7-2-1 with the Pirates snapping a four-match winning streak by UC while scoring their first goal in the series in the last five matches
• UC is now 2-1-1 in matches with the Pirates played on their home field
• UC trailed, 1-0, at the half for the sixth time this year, falling to 4-2-0 in those matches
• The Bearcats have been eliminated from postseason contention and will not be one of the six teams in the AAC Tournament
• DiNardo recorded a team-leading and career-high six shots in the match to pace the offensive effort
• Less stopped nine shots in the match, one shy of her career high of 10 she recorded on the road at #25 USF earlier this year
• Five freshmen earned a place in the Starting XI tonight
// CIN 0:1 ECU • 31'
The lone goal of the game came in the 31' of play with the hosts finding the back of the net. On the play, the ball was played into the area and tipped around before Kim Sanford tipped the ball to the right where Cashlin Copley ran onto the ball and hit a shot just inside the right post and past the hands of Less.
// CHANCES
The Bearcats had several strong chances in the match with DiNardo in on most of the attempts. In the first half, her pressure on the back line forced a turnover the she chipped ahead and fired a shot from the top of the box that was saved by the ECU keeper in the 20'. In the second half, she two more solid attempts, starting in the 53' as the ball skipped through the box as she pushed forward and tried to volley the ball out of the air, but her offering was scooped up. Then, in 75', DiNardo took another crack at the goal, slipping a shot to the back post the Pirates' keeper dove and pushed away to keep the hosts ahead, 1-0.
// STOPPER
On the night, Less posted nine saves, her second-highest single-game total. Entering the year, she held a career high of eight saves and tied that early in the season. Then, at #25 USF (October 6), she tallied 10 saves to reset her career best.
// LAST TIME
Tonight's contest marked the final match for four seniors, including Tiffany Huber, Kaleigh Piscioneri, Jill Vetere and Cassie Wheldon.
// NEXT MATCH
Friday's match was the season finale for the Bearcats. They will return to the pitch for their 40th varsity season in August 2019.
// 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 6-9-3 overall and 1-6-2 in the AAC while ECU moved to 9-5-2 overall and 4-4-0 in AAC play
• The Bearcats all-time record in the series drops to 7-2-1 with the Pirates snapping a four-match winning streak by UC while scoring their first goal in the series in the last five matches
• UC is now 2-1-1 in matches with the Pirates played on their home field
• UC trailed, 1-0, at the half for the sixth time this year, falling to 4-2-0 in those matches
• The Bearcats have been eliminated from postseason contention and will not be one of the six teams in the AAC Tournament
• DiNardo recorded a team-leading and career-high six shots in the match to pace the offensive effort
• Less stopped nine shots in the match, one shy of her career high of 10 she recorded on the road at #25 USF earlier this year
• Five freshmen earned a place in the Starting XI tonight
// CIN 0:1 ECU • 31'
The lone goal of the game came in the 31' of play with the hosts finding the back of the net. On the play, the ball was played into the area and tipped around before Kim Sanford tipped the ball to the right where Cashlin Copley ran onto the ball and hit a shot just inside the right post and past the hands of Less.
// CHANCES
The Bearcats had several strong chances in the match with DiNardo in on most of the attempts. In the first half, her pressure on the back line forced a turnover the she chipped ahead and fired a shot from the top of the box that was saved by the ECU keeper in the 20'. In the second half, she two more solid attempts, starting in the 53' as the ball skipped through the box as she pushed forward and tried to volley the ball out of the air, but her offering was scooped up. Then, in 75', DiNardo took another crack at the goal, slipping a shot to the back post the Pirates' keeper dove and pushed away to keep the hosts ahead, 1-0.
// STOPPER
On the night, Less posted nine saves, her second-highest single-game total. Entering the year, she held a career high of eight saves and tied that early in the season. Then, at #25 USF (October 6), she tallied 10 saves to reset her career best.
// LAST TIME
Tonight's contest marked the final match for four seniors, including Tiffany Huber, Kaleigh Piscioneri, Jill Vetere and Cassie Wheldon.
// NEXT MATCH
Friday's match was the season finale for the Bearcats. They will return to the pitch for their 40th varsity season in August 2019.
// 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.