UC SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 28, 2011
Contact: Jeff Geiser (513-556-0618)

Bearcats Earn Draw Vs. Loyola
Go 1-0-1 at Northwestern Tournament

EVANSTON, Ill. – The University of Cincinnati women’s soccer team played Loyola University Chicago to a 0-0 double-overtime draw Sunday at Lakeside Field on the second day of the Northwestern Tournament.

Cincinnati (2-1-1) outshot Loyola (2-1-1) 17-10 for the match, but could not generate enough offense to win.

“We’re disappointed with the result today,” UC head coach Michelle Salmon said. “We had them on the ropes the whole game, but we didn’t finish. That’s a matter of focusing in the final third. It’s a matter of executing. When you have four seniors on the field, there are certain key moments in the game when they need to step up and lead. And I felt like today we lacked that urgency.”

In the opening moments of the match, the Bearcats had several scoring chances early, but were unable to capitalize on their opportunities.

In the sixth minute, senior outside defender Kelli Pawelko (Lemont, Ill/Lemont) launched Cincinnati’s first corner kick from the right side near the front of the goal where senior midfielder Logan Ballinger (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) attempted a header that bounced off Loyola goalkeeper Katie Groesch. Freshman midfielder Megan Cravenor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West) collected the rebound and took a shot on goal from the top of the box, but to no avail.

In the eighth minute, senior forward Emily Hebbeler (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) had a breakaway opportunity, but her shot on goal was saved by Groesch.

Defensively, Cincinnati played strong for the majority of the match. Loyola did not attempt its first shot until the 26^th minute when Ramblers sophomore midfielder Elyssa Kulas hit a ball from just outside the box that went directly to UC freshman goalkeeper Kristina Utley (Castro Valley, Calif./Castro Valley), who finished the match with four saves.

UC had arguably its best opportunity of the match in the 63rd minute when Ballinger got fouled inside the box during a corner kick, setting up a penalty kick from 10 yards out. Ballinger’s shot beat the keeper, but went wide and hit off the right post.

Loyola threatened twice in the final two minutes of regulation. In the 89th minute, LUC junior midfielder Jessie Hubly attempted a shot from the left side five yards out that went wide. In the closing seconds, Loyola had a corner kick that the Bearcats successfully defended to force overtime.

Cincinnati outshot Loyola 15-8 in regulation, and had seven corner kicks compared to LUC’s two.

The Bearcats did not have many scoring chances in either overtime. Their best opportunities came in the third minute of the first overtime, when Ballinger’s left-footed shot from 10 yards out was saved, and in the fourth minute of the second OT, when Hebbeler’s shot went wide left.

“As we continue into the season, we have to look at this game as learning tool for us to get better,” Salmon said.

Cincinnati will return home to play Western Carolina University at 7 p.m. ET Friday at Gettler Stadium, followed by a 1 p.m. ET Sunday match against University of Wisconsin-Madison.

-GoBEARCATS.com-