TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team clinched a berth in the 2022 American Athletic Conference Championship with a 1-0 victory over USF at Gettler Stadium on Sunday.
A misplayed clear by Bulls' goalkeeper Sydney Martinez at the top of the box early in the match was played right to Cincinnati graduate midfielder Brandi Thomsen, who deflected the ball into the net to provide the Bearcats an early lead they would never relinquish in the third minute. Thomsen's goal was her second of the season. She led an aggressive first-half attack for the Bearcats, taking all of her game-high three shots before the break.
"The atmosphere was amazing today, there was a ton of energy in the stadium from not only our players, but our fans," said head coach Neil Stafford.
With the win, Cincinnati improved to 7-2-6, 3-1-3 in the AAC. The Bearcats also clinched an undefeated regular season home record (7-0-2) for the first time since 2017. It marks the second undefeated home season under Stafford and the sixth perfect home slate in program history.
Cincinnati held a 4-0 advantage in shots and a 3-0 lead in corner kicks over the match's first 20 minutes.
Junior goalkeeper Anna Rexford preserved the shutout with a diving save on Bulls' forward Vyvianne Bessette's shot minutes before the break. Rexford finished with her sixth clean sheet of the season and extended her season total to 36 saves.
The Bearcats had several tries for an insurance goal in the final minutes. Graduate midfielder Taylor Nuncio's corner kick crossed into the box, but was punched out in the 79th minute before graduate forward Vanessa DiNardo controlled touch for a breakaway look with a booming shot from 10 yards out hit off the top of the crossbar.
South Florida's final chance for the equalizer came in the 85th minute on a free kick attempt; however, the set piece was headed out by freshman defender Maddie Swingle to secure the win.
The Bearcats' finished with a 10-7 advantage in shots and a 4-3 lead on corner kicks. It was the 10th time this season that the Bearcats have outshot their opponent.
Cincinnati closes out the regular season on Thursday at East Carolina at 7 p.m.
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.
A misplayed clear by Bulls' goalkeeper Sydney Martinez at the top of the box early in the match was played right to Cincinnati graduate midfielder Brandi Thomsen, who deflected the ball into the net to provide the Bearcats an early lead they would never relinquish in the third minute. Thomsen's goal was her second of the season. She led an aggressive first-half attack for the Bearcats, taking all of her game-high three shots before the break.
"The atmosphere was amazing today, there was a ton of energy in the stadium from not only our players, but our fans," said head coach Neil Stafford.
With the win, Cincinnati improved to 7-2-6, 3-1-3 in the AAC. The Bearcats also clinched an undefeated regular season home record (7-0-2) for the first time since 2017. It marks the second undefeated home season under Stafford and the sixth perfect home slate in program history.
Cincinnati held a 4-0 advantage in shots and a 3-0 lead in corner kicks over the match's first 20 minutes.
Junior goalkeeper Anna Rexford preserved the shutout with a diving save on Bulls' forward Vyvianne Bessette's shot minutes before the break. Rexford finished with her sixth clean sheet of the season and extended her season total to 36 saves.
The Bearcats had several tries for an insurance goal in the final minutes. Graduate midfielder Taylor Nuncio's corner kick crossed into the box, but was punched out in the 79th minute before graduate forward Vanessa DiNardo controlled touch for a breakaway look with a booming shot from 10 yards out hit off the top of the crossbar.
South Florida's final chance for the equalizer came in the 85th minute on a free kick attempt; however, the set piece was headed out by freshman defender Maddie Swingle to secure the win.
The Bearcats' finished with a 10-7 advantage in shots and a 4-3 lead on corner kicks. It was the 10th time this season that the Bearcats have outshot their opponent.
Cincinnati closes out the regular season on Thursday at East Carolina at 7 p.m.
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.