TicketsWACO, Texas— The University of Cincinnati women's soccer team battled back late to tie Baylor 2-2 on Thursday inside Betty Lou Mays Stadium.
Cincinnati moved to 3-6-6 (2-2-4) on the year, while Baylor dropped to 8-5-3 (3-3-2). The Bearcats' six draws this season are the second-most in a single season in program history.
Both Graduate Student Ashley Barron and sophomore Sarah Kate Rath scored their first goals for the season in Cincinnati's second multi-goal game of the season. The Bearcats tied Butler 2-2 back on Sept. 7.
Down 2-1 in the 86th minute, Rath netted the equalizing goal off a rebound shot from senior Ellie Flower. The goal marked Rath's second of her career. Flower earned her first career assist on the play.
Cincinnati jumped out to the early lead as Barron out-jumped the Baylor backline, heading in the first goal of the match in the 14th minute off a free kick set piece from a junior Fran Stables.
Stables picked up her team-leading third assist of the season, while Barron scored the fifth goal of her career. It was also the Bearcat's fifth first-half goal of the season.
After a slow start, Baylor picked up its offensive pressure late in the half and inside the final minute of the first as the Bears' Ashley Merrill scored the match-equalizing goal as the teams would head to the break tied 1-1.
Baylor would lead the shot totals 10-8 at the end of the first even though Cincinnati controlled the pace of play.. The Bearcats would finish the match with a season-high 16 shots.
The Bearcat started the second just as they did the first, as Cincinnati had two shots blocked from just outside the box in the first three minutes of the final half.
Baylor's Callie Conrad broke the deadlock in the 70th minute as she netted the then go-ahead goal from eight yards out.
Cincinnati goalkeeper Anna Rexford finished the game with seven saves, tying a career-high and bringing her season total to 56. She now has totaled 190 saves in her career, the ninth-most in program history.
The Wilmore, Ky., native has recorded seven saves in a match three times this season. She originally set her career high against Bowling Green on Aug 24.
The Bearcats have now earned 10 points in conference play and are currently ranked ninth overall in the league standings. The top 10 teams in the conference will qualify for the 2023 Sprouts Farmers Market Big 12 Soccer Championship, held in Round Rock, Texas. The tournament begins on Oct. 28.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati returns to Gettler Stadium on Sunday to host UCF in its final home match of the season. Sunday's match is Senior Day and 11 Bearcats will be honored at the conclusion of the match. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
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