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Highlights of UC’s lesser-known club sports

The University of Cincinnati has 52 club sports teams. Some are competitive, while others are recreational. But from soccer to billiards and even League of Legends, there’s a club for everyone on campus to enjoy. Here are some of the clubs you may not know about:

Triathlon Club

Triathlon Cub has 25 members, but only nine are active. The club runs two races in the fall and two in the spring, and it competes in the Mideast Collegiate Triathlon Conference (MECTC).

Training six days a week, the team cycles and swims at the UC Campus Recreation Center before embarking on group runs afterward. UC Triathlon will head to nationals in the spring semester.

“If you just race and finish, you can qualify for nationals, which we are focusing on right now because we don’t have a competitive team,” said Tyler Wuebbolt, club president and a third-year finance and accounting student.

Waterskiing Club

Competing in the Midwest Collegiate Water Ski Association (MCWSA) inside of the National Collegiate Water Ski Association (NCWSA), UC Water Ski Club has roughly 20 active members and competes against up to 90 teams, including Ohio State, Bowling Green, and Western Michigan. The fall season begins in August and runs through mid-October.

“This particular year was a little bit disappointing,” said Mallin Blaxall, a third-year environmental studies student and member of the club. “Before this year, we’ve gone to nationals 10 times in a row.”

The team will resume training in the spring semester on lakes in Harrison and Newtown every Monday night.

To learn more about the club, click here. More info can be found on the club’s Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram.

Women’s Rugby Club

Last year, the team won the Midwest Rugby Football Union (MRFU) and finished fourth in the nation for Division II. This year, women’s rugby won the MRFU and will head to Missouri for the national tournament.

“It’s a sport where the guys and the girls have the same rules,” said Allison Kossen, a second-year chemical engineering student and team treasurer. “My coach literally [said] the first day to go tackle those girls, and no coach had ever told me that. I was always told that I was too aggressive.”

Holding a full roster of 45 girls, the team competes against schools including Illinois State University, Marshall University and the University of Kentucky.

More info can be found on the club’s Twitter or Instagram.

Wrestling Club

A member of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA), UC Wrestling Club will begin its season in the spring semester. Hoping for a full lineup of 14 participants, the team trains every Sunday and Monday at the recreation center basketball courts. Members participate in open tournaments against teams from Northern Kentucky University, Ohio State University and the University of Louisville.

“I love wrestling club,” said Colton Murray, a second-year electrical engineering student and the president of the club. “You get to do what you love and meet great people in the process.”

The first open tournament will be held at the recreation center early next semester. A date has not yet been determined.

More info can be found on the club’s Facebook group.

Equestrian Team

There are 32 members on the UC Equestrian Team (UCET). The team competes against several other colleges in the Midwest, including Xavier University, Georgetown College and Midway University.

“I have always been drawn to the sport,” said team president and second-year finance and marketing student Emily Sesterhenn.

Practicing throughout the school year, the semi-varsity team competes in two realms: western and hunt seat. Western is cowboy-like competition, while the hunt seat involves jumping. Both teams have participated in three shows this fall and will have two more before regionals.

More info can be found on the club’s Twitter or Instagram.

 

Additional information on these teams and others can be found by clicking here.

 

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/highlights-of-uc-s-lesser-known-club-sports/article_968018a8-ea85-11e8-ab2a-af1a600e79c6.html

 

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FCC bests Nashville SC in overtime for first playoff win

Drowning in a tidal wave of blue, No. 1 FC Cincinnati (FCC) shot its way past No. 8 Nashville SC on a sixth penalty kick for an opening victory in the United Soccer League (USL) playoffs at Nippert Stadium.

History seemed to repeat itself for a fourth time during Saturday’s quarterfinal game, leaving the teams tied 0-0 at 90 minutes and 1-1 at 120 minutes. FCC played for the second week in a row after tying three times earlier in the season, and it was no surprise that the two teams needed penalty kicks to decide a winner.

“[Nashville] changed the way they played a little bit, and we changed the way we played a little bit, too,” said head coach Alan Koch. “I think every time you play teams, it is a bit of a chess match.”

Despite a low attendance of 20,217 (roughly 5,000 fewer than the season average), spirits never quelled as the teams battled back and forth. With every corner kick, fans began to hoot and holler.

FCC kept possession for 67.3 percent of the match and took 22 shots on goal. Nashville was held to 16.

“We’re a team,” Koch said. “People speak about original players. People speak about potential MVPs and individual awards, and all that kind of jazz. But it doesn’t mean a single thing. We’re a team. We win as a team.”

Each team made the first five penalty kicks effortlessly. Tides turned when Justin Davis, Nashville’s sixth kicker, overshot the net in his attempt.

FCC goalkeeper Spencer Richey stopped his team from rushing the field in celebration before the final shot, which was taken by midfielder Kenney Walker.

Walker hadn’t taken a penalty kick since the U.S. Open Cup in June, which he missed against Minnesota United FC. But Saturday was a different story.

“There’s a little added pressure,” Walker said. “At the same time, you just have to go out there and score. Either pick your spot and put it there and he saves it, or you beat him there. That’s as simple as I can put it.”

Takeaways:

The Orange and Blue came close succumbing to the dreaded Cincinnati curse of being knocked out in the first playoff game.

Both teams are formidable opponents to one another. Looking at game stats alone, it’s a wonder how FCC didn’t defeat Nashville in regulation. Their combination plays were spot-on, with 79.3 percent accuracy on passing both with crossing the ball and tight plays.

Many plays led FCC the corners, causing most of the team’s shots to miss the target.

Predictable plays weren’t the only thing to hinder FCC’s play, as wind was also a major factor. Napkins and confetti snowed, stopped balls rolled and kicks never seemed to go where they were intended. Nonetheless, both teams pushed through.

FCC stayed on Nashville’s side of the field for much of the first half. Midfielder Corben Bone scored in the first five minutes of overtime, growing the fans’ momentum.

But Nashville came back in the 113th minute. While it led to penalty kicks, it also led to FCC’s win.

FCC will host No. 5 seed New York Red Bulls II in Saturday’s USL Eastern Conference Semifinal at Nippert Stadium.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/fcc-bests-nashville-sc-in-overtime-for-first-playoff-win/article_5e69f3bc-d6c6-11e8-bd26-d3171f751640.html

 

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FCC returns to Nippert as No. 1 seed in playoffs

FC Cincinnati (FCC) will enter the 2018 United Soccer League (USL) playoffs as the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed after the team’s 3-3 draw Saturday at Nashville SC.

The Orange and Blue will face the to-be-determined No. 8 seed Oct. 20 at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium. Kick-off is set for 4 p.m.

FCC is currently riding the momentum of a 23-match unbeaten streak — the longest in USL history.

“It’s fantastic,” said Lynn Olberding, a season ticketholder and avid soccer fan. “I think it’s great for the city. I think it’s great for soccer. I think it’s great for them going into the MLS. My husband and I have been playing soccer for nearly our entire lives — him since the 70s’ and for me, probably ’86, I believe. We love it. It’s always a great time, both playing and watching.”

Cincinnati midfielder Corben Bone is focused on embracing a winning mentality for the team’s enthusiastic and loyal followers.

“We did a great job winning the regular season, and now we can concentrate on winning the first game and moving on, and hopefully, moving toward other trophies that our fans deserve and that this club has worked so hard for,” Bone said.

Between the MLS bid in late May, the unbeaten streak, a new stadium underway and national accolades, 2018 has been a season to remember for Cincinnati’s growing soccer fanbase.

FCC is first team in USL history to have four players score more than 10 goals in one season. Midfielder Emmanuel Ledesma leads the team with 16, while Bone, midfielder Nazmi Albadawi and forward Danni König each have 11.

Head coach Alan Koch commended the team for its accomplishments this year.

“I think I just use the word ‘team’ — this is a team,” said Koch. “Having four guys that have scored double digits is amazing. We’ve got other guys that can score goals too, obviously. It just shows that we’re very, very multidimensional in terms of our group.”

Koch was named USL’s Coach of the Month for September after leading the team to a 6-0-0 record during that span. He was previously nominated in July and August.

“There’re no such things as individual awards,” Koch said. “Every individual award is about the team, and that’s why we built a very, very special team this year. It took a lot of work in the offseason to put it in place. Little accolades like this for individuals are really a testament to our entire group, to our coaching staff, to our players, to everybody involved within our organization. It’s been a fun, historic year so far. We’ve enjoyed the successes, and hopefully we can continue this down the road.”

Tickets are on sale and range between $10 and $60 depending on section. Parking passes can be purchased for $10 in advance.

The club no longer offers student tickets or sections, according to FCC’s website. The club welcomes college students to sit in the general admission section at the southern end of Nippert Stadium.

If FCC pulls out a win this Saturday, the team will return to Nippert Stadium for another playoff test Oct. 27.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/fcc-returns-to-nippert-as-no-seed-in-playoffs/article_7b06e8d4-d07e-11e8-9735-2712c4e725dd.html

 

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FC Cincinnati trounces Pittsburgh for fifth straight win

FC Cincinnati secured its fifth consecutive win Saturday, defeating the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 2-1 at Nippert Stadium.

With the win, FCC extended its unbeaten streak to 16 games since the beginning of June. It’s the longest streak in club history.

FCC and the Riverhounds battled back-and-forth during a scoreless first half, with FCC keeping possession for 67.5 percent of play.

The ball moved quickly between halves through one-touch passes, long crosses and intriguing combination plays from both teams. However, the Riverhounds tallied seven shots on goal to FCC’s three.

In the 56th minute, FCC fiddled with the ball too long and struggled to clear it from their half, allowing the Riverhounds to take the lead with a shot on-goal.

This was the first time FCC trailed in a match since June 13, when they were behind Bethlehem Steel in the second half. It had been 1,104 minutes since they found themselves losing in a match.

Despite being down, FCC used the energy of the 25,735 fans at Nippert Stadium to score two goals in the final 15 minutes.

Head coach Alan Koch seemed to be more excited about this win than he had been for any other.

“Being down, it’s never easy coming back,” Koch said. “They showed the character [and] the fight to come back. They’re the guys that work their backsides off every day. They went out and grabbed the opportunity. It wasn’t easy, but we managed the game and came out and won. I’m very, very proud of them. We’ll enjoy tonight. It’s not very often, to be honest, that I enjoy it. But I enjoyed this.”

The first goal was scored by defender Dekel Keinan with a header from a cross. The game-winning goal was scored at the top of the box by forward Fanendo Adi. It was Adi’s first goal since joining the club July 30.

“It’s only a game,” Adi said. “I was lucky enough that I went through and I was fast enough to get between the space and get a shot off through the defender’s legs. We work as a team, especially in the second half. I’m very excited for us.”

With the win, FCC gains three more points in the United Soccer League standings, furthering their lead in Group A with 60 points. The Riverhounds retain their third-place standing with 46 points.

There are seven games left in the USL regular season, as the playoffs begin Oct. 20 and 21.

FCC will return to action Saturday, Sept. 8, at Louisville City FC. The team will play again Sunday, Sept. 16, at home against Toronto FC II at 4:30 p.m.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/fc-cincinnati-trounces-pittsburgh-for-fifth-straight-win/article_30f3315e-b0ac-11e8-9321-5b9a44727cd9.html

 

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Bearcats sweep the Tigers

The University of Cincinnati Bearcats baseball team took down the Memphis Tigers for the third consecutive game, closing out the series 8-7.

When the Bearcats matched up against the Tigers for the seventh and final time in the 2017, they were defeated 15-14 in a ten-inning game during American Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament play.

The last time the Bearcats won a three-game series sweep was against Northwestern in March 2016. However, nearly seven years have passed since the Bearcats swept a team in conference play.

“Obviously, it feels really good,” head coach Scott Googins said. “It puts ourselves in a good position for our conference. That’s ultimately what we want to do. It’s tough to sweep teams, so it felt really good. We made a lot of mistakes and, fortunately, we were able to overcome some of them.”

For the first four innings, the Bearcats shut out the Tigers with a 6-0 lead. In the top of the fifth, there were a few mistakes — such as a foot being inches shy of the base or dropping easy fly balls — that awarded the Bearcats three errors and the Tigers three runs, giving them hope for a possible comeback.

Senior catcher Joey Thomas ran to the mound to settle down junior left-handed pitcher Cam Alldred when the bases were loaded.

“Cam [Alldred] is a guy where, if he starts to get hit around or [the game] starts to get tough, he blames himself,” Thomas said. “We made three errors in just that inning, and he was making good pitches. We just weren’t playing good defense behind him. So, if he throws the ball into play or the ball moves enough, and he can hit spots, then he’s going to get people out.”

The Bearcats managed to score twice more — once on a home run by sophomore first baseman Eric Santiago in the sixth. The Bearcats did it again in the eighth as the Tigers fought to catch up, with a bases-loaded walk from senior second basemen Kyle Mottice.

By the end, Thomas helped bring in five of the eight runs while recording his second collegiate big fly.

“It feels awesome,” Thomas said. “Second career — that’s my second this year, too. Trusting the swing and seeing the ball well and putting a good swing on it.”

The Bearcats are now second in the AAC with an overall record of 15-14 and conference record of 6-3.

Next up is a rematch with the Wright State University Raiders in the Joe Nuxhall Classic in Oxford, Ohio, at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/bearcats-sweep-the-tigers/article_e53e9a88-3cbf-11e8-9ce3-1f0f569d0de8.html

 

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Women’s basketball preps for AAC tournament

After an excruciating fourth quarter, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats women’s basketball team took down the University of Houston Cougars, sliding them into fourth place going into the American Athletic Conference tournament.

The Bearcats will depart for Storrs, Connecticut, this Friday and will have a bye in the first round, sending them to the quarterfinals where they will play the winner of game four.

Game four features the No. 12 seed Tulsa (9-20, 3-13) competing against No. 5 five seed Houston (20-10, 9-7).

Should probabilities play out, they will play their most recent opponent again — a Cougars squad whom the Bearcats have defeated twice this season.

“We stay humble, we stay hungry,” head coach Jamelle Elliott said. “We need to keep relying on our defense wanting to guard guys because that fuels our offense. If we get unemotional on the offensive end and give everything we got on the defensive end, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win.”

After beating Houston for the second time on senior night, Elliott is not the only one who is excited in this team’s abilities going into the tournament.

“[This is] a confidence booster,” senior guard Ana Owens said. “Going into conference play, knowing that you got that bye, it feels good.”

With the bye, Elliott rewarded the women a much-needed two days off before hitting the court again in preparation for their next contest.

Despite under a week remaining before the Bearcats tipoff again in a tournament that will decide if they make the Big Dance, nerves have yet to set in.

“No reason to be nervous,” Owens said. “This game is fun. We just go out there and play free. You may get butterflies in your stomach, but once you get out on the court, it’s just different. It’s a stress reliever. You go out there and you play. Nothing else matters.”

Senior forward Shanice Johnson agreed wholeheartedly with her teammate.

“We don’t have anything else to lose,” she said. “Whoever we come up against, we make sure we give our best effort before we head on out of here after our last couple of games.”

The Bearcats are prepared to take the stress of the tournament and leave it on the court by tackling one game at a time.

“We grind it out every day,” Elliott said. “We missed the chance of going into postseason play [last year], and this year we don’t want any questions. We want to make sure that the committee doesn’t ask any questions. We want our play, our record and everything to speak for itself. We want to be a part of this selection committee, but first … we have to win a game. And win a game and win a game. Go 1-0 for as long as we can to extend Shanice’s and Ana’s careers as long as possible.”

The first round of the AAC tournament will begin Friday. The Bearcats will tipoff in the quarterfinals at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/women-s-basketball-preps-for-aac-tournament/article_6be1970a-1c88-11e8-a23b-2b616732d189.html

 

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Bearcats bowl hopes crushed by Owls

The University of Cincinnati Bearcat’s football team was taken down by the Temple University Owls 35-24 on Friday night at Nippert Stadium.

After having lost five games in a row, the Bearcats rebounded last week with a win against the Tulane University Green Wave. For the players, having the taste of victory still fresh in their mouths made the loss even more painful.

“It’s football,” said senior linebacker Jaylyin Minor.  “You can be on one week and be off the next. It just comes with the game.  It’s the little things. When it comes down to the defense, you have to do almost every little thing right.  One person or one gap leads to a big play. We all have to be on key.”

The Bearcats found themselves in a hole early, as they failed to put a point on the board in the first half, in part due to the nine times they were flagged for infractions.

Temple rolled into halftime with a 13-0 lead.

They were able to outscore Temple in the second half, though it was not enough to erase the deficit and come back for the win.

“I’m very disappointed in the way we really handled this whole situation and completed this game,” said head coach Luke Fickell.  “I’m disappointed in the way we coached. I’m disappointed in the way we prepared them. I mean, I don’t know. Just to not be able to put things together from working this hard as we do, I’m a little bit lost for words.  At some point in time we got to find a way — we keep talking about penalties. We keep talking about these situations and the things we got to do better and then, yet we continue to do the same the same things over and over again.”

While the Bearcats’ defense was able to negate Temple from making any big plays, the same could not be said for special teams.

The third unit, which Fickell has harped the importance of all year long, surrendered a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown after the Bearcats had cut the lead to six. It was the closest UC would get on the scoreboard the rest of the game.

Despite the loss, junior quarterback Hayden Moore set a career high with 75 rushing yards, while also tallying 217 yards and two scores through the air.

The loss dropped the Bearcats to 3-7, officially eliminating them from bowl eligibility. Senior running back Mike Boone said the team is determined to get the most they can out of the final two games of the season.

“We got two more games,” Boone said.  “We got to just continue doing what we do.  We are going to come out with a great attitude and we’ll get back to work.  And of course, win the last two games. Just not have everybody hang their heads, we just come out and play.”

Cincinnati travels to Greenville, North Carolina to take on the East Carolina University Pirates on Saturday. A game time has yet to be announced.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/football/bearcats-bowl-hopes-crushed-by-owls/article_d15d7be6-c6e1-11e7-93b6-93eb783deb4e.html

 

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Bearcats lose; bowl hopes gone

The University of Cincinnati football played sloppy in a 35-24 loss to the University of Temple at Nippert Stadium on Friday night.

Despite the loss, played one of his best statistical games of the season, rushing for 75 yards while tallying 217 through the air.

Penalties haunted the Bearcats throughout, as they were flagged 11 times, resulting in 107 yards awarded to Temple.

The loss drops the Bearcats to 3-7 on the season, and effectively eliminates them from bowl eligibility.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/football/bearcats-lose-bowl-hopes-gone/article_439faf42-c699-11e7-ad84-273d010f3495.html

 

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Students pay while Bearcats play, price tag placed on transportation

As the University of Cincinnati men’s basketball team prepares for an entire season away from home, many students have only one thing on their mind: transportation.

With some UC students lacking their own vehicle, they must find alternate ways to attend UC’s “home” games this year.

UC athletics is providing shuttle service to the games, however the bus pass is not complimentary with the provided student tickets.

Students are being asked to pay a $15 fee per month for the bus pass when picking up their tickets from the ticket office.

Even with a mass email being sent to students regarding the upcoming season with information about tickets and transportation, people have still been surprised by the extra charge.

“I bought the bus pass when I went to go pick up my tickets, but I was very much caught off guard by the $15 price tag,” said Grant Matwiejczyk, a second-year electrical engineering student.  “I assumed that this meant I would have a bus pass for the rest of the basketball season. After realizing that the $15 price was only for the November games, I would have decided against buying it if given the opportunity over again.”

As stated at the bottom of the email, students can purchase a monthly bus pass to travel to the games for $15, which can be purchased when claiming tickets either online or at the ticket office anytime from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

For November, the bus pass would be roughly $3 per game if a student attended every game.

“They didn’t tell me the pass was only for this month, they just asked if I wanted a bus pass for $15, so I said, ‘Sure,’” Matwiejczyk said. “I only realized it was for a month when I checked the pass after buying it. I did not realize it was $3 per game, or that I could buy passes for individual games per my need. I feel like my money will be worth the price as long as I go to at least half of the games I paid for, but asking students to pay is absurd in my opinion.”

While some students may be disgruntled about paying for a bus pass, others deem it a reasonable expenditure in order to go.

“It’s reasonable and fair, but I don’t think that it is ideal,” second-year computer engineering student Andy Miller said.  “If I drove myself, I would probably get lost and use up more gas than the pass actually cost. It’s only $3 a game if you get a mini pass. However, I think that it will impact attendance even more because of it. My roommate doesn’t have much expendable cash so hearing that he had to pay was a deal breaker for him.”

This is not the first time that UC has charged for a bus pass. In 2014, UC Athletics charged $10 for a season pass to see the Bearcats football team compete at Paul Brown Stadium, alongside the cost of tickets.

While the price is more expensive this year, it is 8.9 miles further to BB&T Arena than Paul Brown.

Busses will be on site by the Bearcat statue two hours prior to game time, and will wait for a minimum of 25 students before departing. The last bus will depart 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/students-pay-while-bearcats-play-price-tag-placed-on-transportation/article_18f6a6b6-beaa-11e7-bff7-ebf976302083.html

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Cardiac Cats: Bearcats come from behind against Vikings

The University of Cincinnati men’s soccer team played the role of comeback kid with a win against Cleveland State University by a score of 2-1.

In a back-and-forth first half, the Bearcats seemed to dominate the field with communication, constantly keeping the ball moving. They had several long runs to which led to shots on goal, but could not put one in.

Eventually the Vikings were able to counter UC’s attack, getting the first goal of the game in the 22nd minute.

After losing momentum, the Bearcats fought for control of the ball, leading to an equalizer in the 37th minute.

The first goal for the Bearcats was scored by freshman midfielder Mason Volker, who found the back of the net for the first time in his collegiate career.

“I was shocked more than anything,” said Volker. “I didn’t know what to do. I froze up, so I just went to my teammates and gave them hugs, it was a great feeling.”

Starting the second half, both teams viciously fought for control of the ball, trying to get the upper hand.

Each team played aggressively, attempting their share of long balls up field, with the hopes of breaking the tie in their heads.

Sophomore midfielder Ryan Melink broke that tie, putting the Bearcats ahead in the 75th minute after converting on a penalty kick.

From there, UC fought to keep Cleveland State at bay, preserving their lead, while still maintaining a mix of attacks.

Both teams continued to find opportunities, putting the ball in the box and creating shots on goal.

Head coach Hylton Dayes was pleased with the way his team was able to fight in the second half, although he believed they could have capitalized a bit more.

“I thought that second half we had a lot of the play,” said Dayes. “I thought that we showed really good initiative, probably could’ve had another goal or two, maybe early in the second half but then obviously the goal came and the penalty kick and Ryan had a good job of finishing it off.”

In the final two minutes of the game, sophomore defender Elias Helbig was given a red card, forcing the Bearcats to play down a man.

The 10 men remaining on the field were able to keep the Vikings from finding the back of the net, securing a victory for the Bearcats.

At the end of the day, Dayes will take the wins any way he can get them.

“It’s never easy, but we’ll take the win,” Dayes said.

With the win over Cleveland State, the Bearcats improve to 7-7-1 on the season. Cincinnati will hit the road to take on the University of Tulsa on Saturday in search of their first conference win of the season. The game kicks off at 8 p.m.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/cardiac-cats-bearcats-come-from-behind-against-vikings/article_445f7f82-bb29-11e7-b09d-db8d921fa6de.html