Cincinnati Remains on the Road to Face SMU on Sunday

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team looks to get back in the win column when the Bearcats face SMU at Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium on Sunday. 
 
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET and live coverage will air on ESPN+. 

THE SERIES
This is the 14th-ever meeting between the two programs. Cincinnati trails in the all-time series 4-6-3. The Bearcats are 2-2-2 at home, 1-4-1 on the road and 1-1-0 in neutral site matches against the Mustangs. The Bearcats' lone win in Dallas came on Oct. 17, 2019, where Sydney Goins found the back of the net in the 36th minute, assisted by Vanessa DiNardo, to secure a 1-0 victory. The two programs last played on Oct. 17, 2021, where the Bearcats' battled to a 3-3 draw on Senior Day. Known for their defensive battles, one team has been shutout in nine of 13 meetings, including six of the last seven matches.

LAST TIME OUT
Cincinnati picked up their first conference loss of the season, falling to UCF 4-0 on Thursday. Anna Rexford finished with three saves on the afternoon, increasing her season total to 27. Payton Hasse made her second career appearance between the frame, logging the final 15 minutes in goal. Cincinnati was outshot 17-4 on the afternoon, only the fourth match this season where the Bearcats tallied fewer shots than their opponents. The loss snapped a five-match unbeaten streak, which tied the Bearcats' longest of the season.

COMPARED TO THE CONFERENCE
Cincinnati has the third best margin of victory in the AAC (+0.58). At .625, Cincinnati has the second best win percentage in the conference. Cincinnati ranks second in points (57), points per game (5.18), goals (21), goals per game (1.75) and tied for second in assists (15). The Bearcats are third in assists per game (1.25). Cincinnati is second in the conference in total home attendance (3,996) and average (571/Game), trailing only SMU. At 5-0-2, the Bearcats are one of two AAC teams (Memphis, 4-0-2) that remain unbeaten at home. DiNardo is one of four AAC players with two multi-point games. DiNardo is tied for second in total shots (31) and third in shots per game (2.58). Paige Miller is one of nine AAC players with four goals on the season. Rexford has recorded four clean sheets this season, which is tied for third in the conference. The Bearcats have two players in the top-10 in points per game (Paige Miller (5th), Vanessa DiNardo (8th)).

BUSY OCTOBER
With the postponement of the UCF match from Sept. 29 to Oct. 13, the Bearcats will play seven games in October, four on the road and three at Gettler Stadium. The four road matches in the final month of the regular season are the most since 2016.

PAIGE MILLER NAMED AAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK ON OCT. 10
Miller was named American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. This is the first time in her career that she has received the distinction. She is the latest Bearcat to earn weekly conference offensive honors since Camryn Hartman did so on March 8, 2021. Miller notched three goals in the Bearcats' first two conference matches last week, including recording her first career brace in a 3-1 win over Temple last Sunday. The sophomore has earned her first starts of the season over the last three matches. Cincinnati has earned a weekly conference honor in five weeks this season, already the most since the Bearcats secured nine in 2017.

CONTRIBUTIONS ACROSS THE PITCH - OFFENSE MOVING FAST, DEFENSE HOLDING STRONG
This season, 11 different players have scored a goal through 12 matches this season compared to 12 players in 2021, while 10 different players have recorded an assist this season. Brandi Thomsen is one of 12 AAC players who have tallied at least three assists. Five players have recorded their first collegiate goal this season - Maddie Swingle, Megan Smith, Sarah Kate Rath, Ellie Flower and Emma Schmelzer. Eight newcomers (five freshman, three transfers) have recorded at least one start. Rexford has recorded four clean sheets this season, which is tied for third in the conference. Every goal in the Stony Brook match was scored by a player in their first or second collegiate season. The five goals scored against Stony Brook ties the second-most under Stafford. The Bearcats also scored five against Eastern Illinois (5-0 win on Sept. 5, 2021) and Saint Francis (PA) (5-0 win on Sept. 7, 2014). The most was a 9-0 win against Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 5, 2014.

FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's soccer, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWSOC on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.