The University of Cincinnati women’s soccer team opens up the 2014 American Athletic Conference season on Thursday night at 7 p.m. welcoming Temple to Gettler Stadium.

The Bearcats (6-2-2) closed out their non-conference slate with the program’s best record since 2002 (8-1-1). Junior Danielle Rotheram and sophomore Katy Couperus led a UC offense that is tied for 17^th in the country in goals per game (2.80). Both rank top five in the conference in points with Rotheram sitting fourth at 14 and Couperus fifth with 13. Natalie Smith is the program’s top net minder, and she has posted two individual shutouts on the season and a pair of shared shutouts with backup goalkeeper Kristina Utley.

The Owls (7-2-0) enter Thursday’s match on a two-game losing streak, and it will be their seventh consecutive road contest. Kelly Farrell and Gina DiTaranto lead TU’s offense with each tallying four goals on the season. Shauni Kerhoff is the team’s bets keeper, and she currently sits atop the league in save percentage (.848) and third in goals against average (0.78).

// LAST TIME AGAINST TEMPLE
Cincinnati defeated the Owls, 2-1, on the road last year in the two programs’ first ever matchup. Elsbrock and Couperus each netted a goal in the second half to give the Bearcats a 2-0 lead. Temple made a late push by scoring with under two minutes remaining, but UC held on for the one-goal victory. Cincinnati outshot Temple, 15-8-, with 10 of the Bearcats’ shots being on net.

// THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Bearcats are currently undefeated at Gettler Stadium this season with a record of 4-0-1. In those five matches, UC has only allowed three goals while they have netted 21. Since second-year head coach Neil Stafford took over the program, Cincinnati is 8-2-2 at home. UC also ranks second in the league in average home attendance (691).

// LIKE A GOOD TEAMMATE, ATKINSON IS ALWAYS THERE
Senior Jae Atkinson has been aided the Bearcats high-scoring offense all season by dishing out six assists, which puts her tied for 15^th in the country and first in the conference. The Mason, Ohio native is just one assist from cracking UC’s all-time top 10 single season assists chart, and she is three from the career list with her current total being 12.

// HAPPY 35^TH BIRTHDAY
The 2014 season marks the 35^th year of UC women’s soccer as a varsity sport. The program began in 1980 and is the second oldest in Ohio to Denison University. To date, Cincinnati has an overall win-loss-tie record of 340-256-49 (.564).

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