Gameday: ECU Takes On Cincinnati On Senior Night

Game 16: Cincinnati (6-8-3, 1-5-2) at ECU (8-5-2, 3-4-0)
Date	Friday, October 26
Time	7:00 p.m. (EDT)
Location	Greenville, N.C. (Johnson Stadium)
Coverage	Live Stats \| Watch
Promotions	Tickets \| Promotions
Social Media	Twitter: @ECUwsoccer Instagram: @ECUwsoccer Facebook: @ECUwsoccer

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Just two games remain in the season and the ECU women's soccer team will try to shore up a playoff spot with a matchup against Cincinnati on Friday night in Johnson Stadium.

"Cincinnati is not a team we can take lightly," said head coach Jason Hamilton. "I do not think their conference record shows in reality how good of a team they are. They may be the biggest surprise of the conference. Most coaches expected them to finish in the mix for things."

ECU (8-5-2, 3-4-0 AAC) has not played in nearly two weeks, with the last match being a 1-0 win over Temple on Oct 14. While the Pirates rested during their bye weekend, the rest of the results in the AAC ensured ECU carries its playoff fate in its own hands. The Pirates are one of five teams vying for the final three spots in the AAC postseason tournament and currently sit in seventh place with nine points. With wins in the final two games of the season, ECU would be assured a spot in the postseason tournament for the first time since 2015, as well as finishing fourth, the highest ever finish in the AAC.

Already this season, the eight wins overall and the three conference wins are the most for the Pirates since 2015. The Pirates will finish with a record over .500 for the first time since 2014 and for the 13th time in program history. With two more wins, ECU will reach double-digit victories for the 11th time. The majority of those wins have come at home, with the Pirates going 6-1-0 so far in Johnson Stadium. The six wins are the most at home since the 2012 season and ECU has a chance to tie the school record of eight home wins, set by both the 2007 and 1997 squads.

Cincinnati comes into the weekend with a 6-8-3 overall record and a 1-5-2 conference mark, leaving the Bearcats out of the playoff picture. Cincinnati is coming off a 0-1-1 weekend, tying Temple 2-2 and falling to UConn 4-0. The Bearcats have scored just 18 goals this season while allowing 31. Jill Vetere is the main offensive weapon for Cincinnati, tallying six goals and four assists. Madison Less and Claudia Eustaquio have split time in goal for the Bearcats, each starting eight games. Eustaquio has a 1.59 goals against average while Less has a team-high 46 saves. Each have one shutout, as does Jane Sensibaugh.

"Similar to us, they are very young and every young team has its poor games and its great games," Hamilton said. "We have to be ready for them to have their best game and match it."

Cincinnati has dominated the series between the two schools, going 7-1-1 against ECU. The Bearcats have won all four meetings since the two schools joined the AAC in 2014 and has not given up a goal in that span. The last Pirate win against Cincinnati came in 2004, when ECU captured a 2-1 double-overtime victory on the road. ECU is 0-2 against the Bearcats at home, with both matches coming in Johnson Stadium.

"They are a team that comes out and competes for the full 90 minutes or longer," Hamilton added. "They have had some good come-from-behind wins and ties this season to show that."

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., on Friday night. Prior to the match, ECU will honor its four seniors, which are Cash, Erin Bradley, Ashley Kendrot and Chentay Warnes. Fans can buy tickets to the match here.

Players Mentioned

Erin Bradley

Ashley Kendrot

Chentay Warnes

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