TicketsEAST LANSING, Mich. — The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team fell short against No. 17 Michigan State, 1-0, on Thursday in its season-opening match at DeMartin Stadium.
"It was not the outcome we wanted, but we played a team that won the Big Ten last year, and for us, it was always going to be about the performance," head coach Erica Demers said. "I think we had nerves in the first half, but were able to slow the game down and started to play how we wanted to play."
In the closely contested defensive battle, senior goalkeeper Anna Rexford had a strong performance between the frame despite not getting the win. She finished the match with five saves on 19 shots, six of which were on goal, from Michigan State.
"That's what you want out of your starting goalkeeper," Demers said. "She showed tonight why she is our starting goalkeeper. She showed composure in calming the game down for us and being the goalkeeper that we needed her to be, especially under that much pressure."
Rexford and the Bearcats were tested early on, which would end up becoming a recurring theme throughout the game. At the five-minute mark, Rexford prevented a goal by lunging to the left post to make her first save.
She would finish the first half with four saves as the Spartans sent nine shots her way, five on goal.
Michigan State struck first in the 19th minute. MSU's Gabby Mueller snuck one past Rexford on the bottom left from inside the box, that would become the game's deciding goal.
The Bearcats would push the offensive envelope late in the first half. Sophomore Alexis Campbell got a free run to just outside the box and put a shot on goal but was denied by Spartan goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks.
In the final seconds of regulation, redshirt senior forward/midfielder Ellie Flower fired a shot just wide of the net that proved to be the Bearcats' last chance for the equalizer.
Fifth-year defender Ashley Barron was the only non-goalkeeper Bearcat to play for 90 minutes. She is now only 210 minutes away from breaking into the program's all-time top 10 list for minutes played, currently sitting at 5,506:13 minutes played in her career.
Transfer newcomers junior Laura Zemberyova, graduate senior Teni Akindoju, and junior Fran Stables started their first career matches as Bearcats.
Cincinnati will make the short trip up I-75 to take on Dayton and wrap up the season-opening road trip. The match will kick off at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20 at Baujan Field and will be streamed on ESPN+.
ANTHEM BUDDIES AND GROUP EXPERIENCES.
Looking to experience Cincinnati soccer like never before? Click here to learn more about the Cincinnati Anthem Buddies and Group Experience programs.
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.
"It was not the outcome we wanted, but we played a team that won the Big Ten last year, and for us, it was always going to be about the performance," head coach Erica Demers said. "I think we had nerves in the first half, but were able to slow the game down and started to play how we wanted to play."
In the closely contested defensive battle, senior goalkeeper Anna Rexford had a strong performance between the frame despite not getting the win. She finished the match with five saves on 19 shots, six of which were on goal, from Michigan State.
"That's what you want out of your starting goalkeeper," Demers said. "She showed tonight why she is our starting goalkeeper. She showed composure in calming the game down for us and being the goalkeeper that we needed her to be, especially under that much pressure."
Rexford and the Bearcats were tested early on, which would end up becoming a recurring theme throughout the game. At the five-minute mark, Rexford prevented a goal by lunging to the left post to make her first save.
She would finish the first half with four saves as the Spartans sent nine shots her way, five on goal.
Michigan State struck first in the 19th minute. MSU's Gabby Mueller snuck one past Rexford on the bottom left from inside the box, that would become the game's deciding goal.
The Bearcats would push the offensive envelope late in the first half. Sophomore Alexis Campbell got a free run to just outside the box and put a shot on goal but was denied by Spartan goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks.
In the final seconds of regulation, redshirt senior forward/midfielder Ellie Flower fired a shot just wide of the net that proved to be the Bearcats' last chance for the equalizer.
Fifth-year defender Ashley Barron was the only non-goalkeeper Bearcat to play for 90 minutes. She is now only 210 minutes away from breaking into the program's all-time top 10 list for minutes played, currently sitting at 5,506:13 minutes played in her career.
Transfer newcomers junior Laura Zemberyova, graduate senior Teni Akindoju, and junior Fran Stables started their first career matches as Bearcats.
Cincinnati will make the short trip up I-75 to take on Dayton and wrap up the season-opening road trip. The match will kick off at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20 at Baujan Field and will be streamed on ESPN+.
ANTHEM BUDDIES AND GROUP EXPERIENCES.
Looking to experience Cincinnati soccer like never before? Click here to learn more about the Cincinnati Anthem Buddies and Group Experience programs.
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.