UC SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 26, 2011
Contact: Jeff Geiser (513-556-0618)

Salmon Earns 100^th Career Win As Bearcats Top NU
Freshman Howard scores game winner

EVANSTON, Ill. – Head coach Michelle Salmon earned her 100th career victory Friday after the University of Cincinnati women’s soccer team defeated Northwestern University 2-1 in the opening round of the Northwestern Tournament at Lakeside Field.

With the score tied 1-1 in the 87^th minute, freshman midfielder Christi Howard (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) took a pass from senior midfielder Logan Ballinger (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) 15 yards from the goal on the right side of the box and bent a shot that hit the left side of the net, putting UC ahead 2-1.

Cincinnati led for the majority of the match until, after a Northwestern throw in from the left side, Wildcats senior forward Emily Langston tied the score 1-1 in the 77th minute when she knocked a shot past UC freshman goalkeeper Kristina Utley (Castro Valley, Calif./Castro Valley) from the right side of the box.

The Bearcats went into halftime leading 1-0 on a goal from sophomore forward Jazmine Rhodes (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Polytechnic), who in the 32nd minute of the match took a corner kick from senior outside defense Kelli Pawelko (Lemont, Ill.) and headed the ball to the back of the net.

Cincinnati stuck to its game plan of playing aggressively on the offensive end and stingy on defense in the first half. The Bearcats outshot Northwestern 5-3 and held possession for the majority of the first stanza.

Senior midfielder Logan Ballinger (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) had Cincinnati’s first scoring opportunity in the 12th minute when she booted a low line drive to the right side of the goal that was stopped by NU goalkeeper Anna Cassell on a diving save.

On defense the Bearcats successfully defended two NU corner kicks in the first half, each without netting a shot attempt. Additionally, Utley recorded three saves in the final seven minutes of the first.

Northwestern turned up the pressure in the second half, outshooting UC 10-4 in the final 45 minutes.

Despite playing under duress for most of the second half, Utley stood strong and finished the match with seven saves, including several in the match’s final 10 minutes.

Cincinnati next plays Loyola University Chicago, which earlier Friday lost to University of Dayton 3-0, at 1 p.m. ET Sunday in the final round of the Northwestern Tournament at Lakeside Field.

 -GoBEARCATS.com-