CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team opened their 2019 season with a 2-0 victory Thursday night in Harrisonburg, Va., as the Bearcats battled a pair of storms while also providing a lightning display of their own while downing St. John's. After playing just 16:09, the match was halted by lighting for more than 90 minutes. After a scoreless first half, the Bearcats came back out and saw Vanessa DiNardo score two goals in a lightning-fast 21 seconds to lead the charge in downing the Red Storm.
// NOTING THE MATCH
• Cincinnati moves to 1-0-0 on the year while St. John's falls to 0-1-0
• The Bearcats improved to 4-1-0 in the all-time series with the Red Storm that has seen all five matches in end in a shutout, but this being the first that did not end, 1-0
• Cincinnati is now 27-12-1 in their season-opening match and has won four in a row in those contests
• The Bearcats are also now 15-11-6 in their first neutral site match of the season all-time
• UC is 1-1-0 when the first match of the year is at a neutral site after losing to New Mexico, 2-0, at Purdue in 2004
• Today's Starting XI featured four players earning their first career collegiate starts, including a trio of true freshmen in Kendall Battle (60 minutes), Ashley Barron (full 90) and Han Tang (57), while sophomore Morgan Jackson (66) earned her first start after appearing in nine matches last year as a rookie with Louisville
• Freshman Maddy Pittman also saw playing time, logging 24 minutes and assisting on a goal
• DiNardo scored two goals in 21 seconds, the fastest brace for a Bearcats player since 2013, surpassing the 2:11 Danielle Rotheram needed to score twice against St. Francis in 2014
• DiNardo recorded her first career multiple-goal match after scoring one goal all of last year and finishing with three points in 2018
• Both players to assist on a goal recorded the first assist of their career, including senior Sydney Goins and freshman Pittman
• Madison Less recorded a pair of saves to record a clean sheet, the 8th of her career, leaving her 0.2 away from 10th all-time in program history (Kristina Utley, 2011-14, 8.2 shutouts)
• 21 players saw action for the Bearcats tonight with each starter seeing at least 52 minutes and five reserves playing 20 or more
• After 16:09 of play had elapsed, the game was halted because of lightning... the delay lasted 95 minutes before play resumed
// NEIL'S NOTES
Head Coach Neil Stafford's thoughts on the match:
"Tonight was a great way for the ladies to start the season. Rain delays are very difficult to deal with and, to be sitting around for almost two hours, can take its toll. In all honesty, the delay probably helped us tactically as the players completely settled in to what we were asking them to do against a dangerous St. John's team. They are organized, well coached and have some talented players that can pull you a part and we were getting baited into allowing them too much space in the first 10-12 minutes.
I thought we controlled large chunks of the play and were patient defensively. We moved the ball as well as I've seen since I've been at UC and did really well creating blocks to not get broken down. That can wear down teams mentally and physically and I felt we were able to do that over the duration. There were of course some great individual efforts with V (DiNardo) getting her brace but, to be honest, I was more proud of her defensive efforts than the goals. We talk a lot with the team about being a 'foxhole' teammate and the more they can grind on both sides of the ball, the more those around you will trust.
Overall it was a great team effort for the first game of the season, but now we are on to a difficult test against Virginia Tech on Sunday."
// SCORING TOUCH
A preseason American Athletic All-Conference selection, DiNardo came out hot in the second half and was able to find the net twice, doubling her career goal output after scoring just once last year while already surpassing the three points she tallied in 2018. On the first goal, Goins played the ball long where DiNardo collected on the left side and fired into the net for the score, which came with 51:38 showing on the game clock. After what would later be her first career game-winning goal and the ensuing kickoff, the Bearcats quickly regained control of the ball once again and moved forward with Pittman sending a shot on frame only to see it hit off the post. DiNardo was there, however, and finished the rebound from 15 yards away to make it 2-0.
// BLINK OF AN EYE
A quick look through box scores since the start of the 2013 season when Neil Stafford took over the program, DiNardo's 21-second brace is easily the quickest tallied for the Bearcats. The previous scoring spree by the same player came in 2:11 when Rotheram scored back-to-back goals against St. Francis in 2014. In that match, she scored at the 66:18 and 68:29 marks. The record (since 2013) for quickest brace by teammates also came in 2014 when Christi Howard and Jaycie Brown scored 1:38 apart after netting goals at 50:08 and 51:46, respectively.
Additionally, when looking at both teams combining for speedy goals, the record (since 2013) comes in at nine seconds. In the match with UMass-Lowell, Jae Atkinson scored for the Bearcats with 19:53 gone in the match. But, UML answered right back as Brittany Russo was credited with a goal at 20:02.
// HAPPY HELPERS
Both players with assists tonight recorded the first helpers of their careers. Goins, a senior, picked up her first career assist to go along with two career goals she has scored for the Bearcats, the last coming in 2017. For Pittman, the rookie had a strong debut match as she assisted on a goal, played 24 minute off the bench and fired one shot.
// CLEAN SHEET
Less was credited with a pair saves on the night as she and the defense posted a clean sheet. The shutout is the eighth of her career, moving her to 11th all-time in program history. With her next shutout - either full or shared - she will move into the #10 position that is currently held by Kristina Utley, who tallied 8.2 shutouts from 2011-14.
// MORE ON THE NEWCOMERS
• Not only did freshman Barron get the start in her collegiate debut, she played the full 90 minutes on defense to help the Bearcats to a clean sheet in the opening match of the season
• Jackson also earned her first career start after appearing in nine matches for UL last year... additionally, she played 66 minutes tonight which more than doubled her previous career high of 28 minutes in a match last year
• Tang saw 57 minutes of play in her American and collegiate debut and recorded one shot, which was on frame
// NEXT MATCH
Cincinnati returns to action Sunday at 1 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va., where the Bearcats will face host Virginia Tech. The Hokies, who won their opener Thursday night at home, 3-0, over visiting Liberty, entered the season ranked 25th nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and are receiving votes in the Top Drawer Soccer poll as well.
DiNardo’s Quick Brace Sends Bearcats to 2-0 Win
The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team opened their 2019 season with a 2-0 victory Thursday night in Harrisonburg, Va., as the Bearcats battled a pair of storms while also providing a lightning display of their own while downing St. John's.
