TicketsCINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati soccer team will resume AAC play for good Thursday night when it hosts East Carolina at Gettler Stadium (7 p.m.).
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LAST TIME OUT
Sunday was a test of sheer will. Cincinnati had spent Wednesday-Friday morning in Philadelphia before traveling straight to Murray State, outlasting the Racers in double-overtime on Alli Pestaina's golden goal. The Bearcats refused to give up after an 85th-minute equalizer, and Karli Royer's booming free kick was enough for Pestaina to head it home.
HOME COOKIN'
The Bearcats are 4-1-1 at home this season, most recently dominating Tulsa in its last-such venture (26-6 shots advantage). Vanessa DiNardo, has four of her team-high five goals at Gettler Stadium, including the last two contests. Her 28 shots are also nine ahead of Royer and Lauren Bastian.
ABOUT THE DEFENSE
Sophomore goalkeeper Anna Rexford matched a career-high with six saves in the Murray State win, which she also accomplished against Memphis in the spring and the Virginia Tech win on August 29. Her 34 saves (3.09 per game) rank fourth in the AAC. The Bearcats were also without the services of Preseason AAC Defender of the Year Ashley Barron in that Sunday victory.
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati is 8-2-2, including 5-1-1 in the Neil Stafford era, against ECU. The spring meeting between the teams shared a ton of similarities in UC's last time out. Pestaina scored her first-career goal in the 80th minute off of Taylor Nuncio's free-kick and succeeding rebound to win it. Annie Metzger also notched her first on her only shot of the season in the 16th minute as the Bearcats held a 13-6 shots advantage.
SCOUTING ECU
The Pirates are currently on a five-game losing streak, but it has been against high-level competition. Their last time out was a 2-0 defeat to No. 17 SMU, and they fell 3-2 to (RV) South Florida in overtime two matches prior. ECU also fell to No. 5 Duke.
ESPN Plus | Live Stats | Free Admission
LAST TIME OUT
Sunday was a test of sheer will. Cincinnati had spent Wednesday-Friday morning in Philadelphia before traveling straight to Murray State, outlasting the Racers in double-overtime on Alli Pestaina's golden goal. The Bearcats refused to give up after an 85th-minute equalizer, and Karli Royer's booming free kick was enough for Pestaina to head it home.
HOME COOKIN'
The Bearcats are 4-1-1 at home this season, most recently dominating Tulsa in its last-such venture (26-6 shots advantage). Vanessa DiNardo, has four of her team-high five goals at Gettler Stadium, including the last two contests. Her 28 shots are also nine ahead of Royer and Lauren Bastian.
ABOUT THE DEFENSE
Sophomore goalkeeper Anna Rexford matched a career-high with six saves in the Murray State win, which she also accomplished against Memphis in the spring and the Virginia Tech win on August 29. Her 34 saves (3.09 per game) rank fourth in the AAC. The Bearcats were also without the services of Preseason AAC Defender of the Year Ashley Barron in that Sunday victory.
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati is 8-2-2, including 5-1-1 in the Neil Stafford era, against ECU. The spring meeting between the teams shared a ton of similarities in UC's last time out. Pestaina scored her first-career goal in the 80th minute off of Taylor Nuncio's free-kick and succeeding rebound to win it. Annie Metzger also notched her first on her only shot of the season in the 16th minute as the Bearcats held a 13-6 shots advantage.
SCOUTING ECU
The Pirates are currently on a five-game losing streak, but it has been against high-level competition. Their last time out was a 2-0 defeat to No. 17 SMU, and they fell 3-2 to (RV) South Florida in overtime two matches prior. ECU also fell to No. 5 Duke.