Thursday, October 12
Waco, Texas
7 PM
Baylor
vs
Cincinnati
SOC Set to Face Cincinnati, No. 21 TCU
10/11/2023 2:35:00 PM | Soccer
Bears will close out their regular-season home slate with Bearcats, before heading to TCU
BAYLOR vs. CINCINNATI
Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. CT
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+
BAYLOR at No. 21 TCU
Sunday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. CT
Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+
BAYLOR (6-5-2)
Head Coach: Michelle Lenard (North Texas, 2003)
Career Record: 213-93-29 (16th season)
BU Record: 12-16-4 (2nd season)
CINCINNATI (3-6-5)
Head Coach: Erica Demers (Oakland, 2004)
Career Record: 53-44-24 (7th season)
UC Record: 3-6-5 (1st season)
TCU (9-4-2)
Head Coach: Eric Bell (Wooster, 1992)
Career Record: 138-85-37 (13th season)
TCU Record: 131-75-37 (12th season)
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Riding a three-game winning streak that is tied for the longest in the Big 12, Baylor soccer (8-5-2, 3-3-1) will host Cincinnati (3-6-5, 2-2-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday in a matchup of two teams battling for spots in the Big 12 Championship.
In the final regular-season home game at Betty Lou Mays Field, the Bears will have their annual scarf giveaway and recognize seniors Jenna Patterson and Makinzie Short. Senior goalkeeper Madison Martin was honored following last Thursday's 4-2 win over Iowa State.
"They've all been a part of rebuilding this program in kind of a new image," said Baylor coach Michelle Lenard, whose team is on a four-game unbeaten streak that includes a tie against Kansas and three-straight wins over Kansas State, Iowa State and UCF.
"All three of them have added so much value in terms of the direction we want this program to go. Setting the culture off the field is where they've probably made the biggest influence. While they've all contributed on the field, they're just fantastic people off the field and have really helped us lay the foundation for the future of this team."
Baylor's late-season hot stretch has helped the Bears move up into a tie for seventh in the Big 12 standings with 10 points, just two points out of fifth place going into the last three games. While 10 of the league's 14 teams will qualify for the Big 12 tournament, the top six will earn first-round byes into the quarterfinal round.
"I don't know exactly what it's going to take, how many wins it's going to take, to make sure we get in," Lenard said. "Our goal is not just to get in, but to get into the top five. And I think that would probably take three wins to do that."
Senior defender Blythe Obar said the Bears "were kind of tired of losing" after getting outscored 10-0 in losses to Texas, BYU and Texas Tech in their first three conference games. Six different players have scored a combined eight goals in Baylor's three-game winning streak, including TCU transfer Tyler Isgrig and freshman Salma Simonin with two apiece.
"We just said, 'Okay, flip the switch,''' Obar said, "and it kind of went into games, staying positive, working on things we worked on during practice and just sticking to what we know. Just keeping it simple."
Lenard said the team's early struggles in conference was more of a lack of experience than lacking experience.
"We lacked experience playing against some of the higher-level teams," she said. "We lacked experience playing together with such a young, new group. So many new players on this team. Every single game has given us more experience. We've learned from each game.
"I've been really proud of how we've built on each game and taken the lessons from the previous game and carried them over. That's really been the difference in the last few games for us. I think we're a different team than we were at the start of the season. We never lacked confidence, really, we just needed that time and experience."
After playing limited minutes in the first half of the season, Simonin has averaged more than 45 minutes in the last four games and scored a goal in each of the last two games. The freshman from Manchester, England, said it was "a big change, just coming to America in general."
"The heat, when I first got here, I needed adjusting to it," she said. "But I think I've adapted to it now, finally. So, I'm starting to gain more confidence and just play better. And I think I've adapted to the pace a bit more now."
Ranked 68th in the latest RPI ratings, Baylor plays a Cincinnati team that is 96th overall and eighth among the 14 Big 12 teams. Coming off a scoreless tie with Oklahoma, the Bearcats also have ties with TCU and BYU but have only scored 10 goals in 14 games.
"They've shown that they can create a half chance out of nothing," Lenard said. "It's going to take 90 minutes of discipline for us to make sure that they don't get some scrappy second-chance goal."
This will be the first-ever meeting between Baylor and Cincinnati, which has only been to the NCAA tournament once in the last 20 years. Thursday's game, along with Sunday's 1 p.m. road matchup at No. 21 TCU (9-4-2, 5-1-1), will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
STORY LINES
Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. CT
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+
BAYLOR at No. 21 TCU
Sunday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. CT
Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+
BAYLOR (6-5-2)
Head Coach: Michelle Lenard (North Texas, 2003)
Career Record: 213-93-29 (16th season)
BU Record: 12-16-4 (2nd season)
CINCINNATI (3-6-5)
Head Coach: Erica Demers (Oakland, 2004)
Career Record: 53-44-24 (7th season)
UC Record: 3-6-5 (1st season)
TCU (9-4-2)
Head Coach: Eric Bell (Wooster, 1992)
Career Record: 138-85-37 (13th season)
TCU Record: 131-75-37 (12th season)
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Riding a three-game winning streak that is tied for the longest in the Big 12, Baylor soccer (8-5-2, 3-3-1) will host Cincinnati (3-6-5, 2-2-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday in a matchup of two teams battling for spots in the Big 12 Championship.
In the final regular-season home game at Betty Lou Mays Field, the Bears will have their annual scarf giveaway and recognize seniors Jenna Patterson and Makinzie Short. Senior goalkeeper Madison Martin was honored following last Thursday's 4-2 win over Iowa State.
"They've all been a part of rebuilding this program in kind of a new image," said Baylor coach Michelle Lenard, whose team is on a four-game unbeaten streak that includes a tie against Kansas and three-straight wins over Kansas State, Iowa State and UCF.
"All three of them have added so much value in terms of the direction we want this program to go. Setting the culture off the field is where they've probably made the biggest influence. While they've all contributed on the field, they're just fantastic people off the field and have really helped us lay the foundation for the future of this team."
Baylor's late-season hot stretch has helped the Bears move up into a tie for seventh in the Big 12 standings with 10 points, just two points out of fifth place going into the last three games. While 10 of the league's 14 teams will qualify for the Big 12 tournament, the top six will earn first-round byes into the quarterfinal round.
"I don't know exactly what it's going to take, how many wins it's going to take, to make sure we get in," Lenard said. "Our goal is not just to get in, but to get into the top five. And I think that would probably take three wins to do that."
Senior defender Blythe Obar said the Bears "were kind of tired of losing" after getting outscored 10-0 in losses to Texas, BYU and Texas Tech in their first three conference games. Six different players have scored a combined eight goals in Baylor's three-game winning streak, including TCU transfer Tyler Isgrig and freshman Salma Simonin with two apiece.
"We just said, 'Okay, flip the switch,''' Obar said, "and it kind of went into games, staying positive, working on things we worked on during practice and just sticking to what we know. Just keeping it simple."
Lenard said the team's early struggles in conference was more of a lack of experience than lacking experience.
"We lacked experience playing against some of the higher-level teams," she said. "We lacked experience playing together with such a young, new group. So many new players on this team. Every single game has given us more experience. We've learned from each game.
"I've been really proud of how we've built on each game and taken the lessons from the previous game and carried them over. That's really been the difference in the last few games for us. I think we're a different team than we were at the start of the season. We never lacked confidence, really, we just needed that time and experience."
After playing limited minutes in the first half of the season, Simonin has averaged more than 45 minutes in the last four games and scored a goal in each of the last two games. The freshman from Manchester, England, said it was "a big change, just coming to America in general."
"The heat, when I first got here, I needed adjusting to it," she said. "But I think I've adapted to it now, finally. So, I'm starting to gain more confidence and just play better. And I think I've adapted to the pace a bit more now."
Ranked 68th in the latest RPI ratings, Baylor plays a Cincinnati team that is 96th overall and eighth among the 14 Big 12 teams. Coming off a scoreless tie with Oklahoma, the Bearcats also have ties with TCU and BYU but have only scored 10 goals in 14 games.
"They've shown that they can create a half chance out of nothing," Lenard said. "It's going to take 90 minutes of discipline for us to make sure that they don't get some scrappy second-chance goal."
This will be the first-ever meeting between Baylor and Cincinnati, which has only been to the NCAA tournament once in the last 20 years. Thursday's game, along with Sunday's 1 p.m. road matchup at No. 21 TCU (9-4-2, 5-1-1), will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
STORY LINES
- Baylor soccer continues to work its way through the 2023 season this week, as they host Cincinnati on Thursday, Oct. 12, before heading to Fort Worth, Texas to face No. 21 TCU on Sunday, Oct. 15.
- Thursday's home match will mark the annual scarf giveaway and will also help celebrate two BU seniors, Jenna Patterson and Makinzie Short. The Bears third senior, Madison Martin, was honored at last Thursday's match.
- The 2023 season marks the 27th season of the Baylor Soccer program. During that time, BU has won four Big 12 titles, advanced to two Elite Eights and had four All-Americans to go with countless All-Big 12 and Academic All-Big 12 honorees.
- This season also marks the second year of the Michelle Lenard coaching era, as she was selected as the Bears sixth head coach in program history in December of 2021.
- The Bears are 8-5-2 on the season so far, coming off of a two-win week, where the Bears posted took down Iowa State at home before heading on the road to defeat the UCF Knights.
- The Bears have compiled seven shutout wins so far this season and have scored 26 goals. BU's seven shutouts are the most in a season since 2021 when the Bears finished with eight.
- Eleven different players have scored this season. Tyler Isgrig leads the way with 19 points, off of six goals and seven assists. Ashley Merrill follows behind with 17 points from a team-leading eight goals and one assist.
- With Isgrig's seven assists on the season, it marks the most by a Bear since 2018 when Ally Henderson Ashkinos and Jackie Crowther both had seven as Baylor rolled to a 20-6 ledger that season.
- Five newcomers have scored goals so far this season: Callie Conrad, Skylar Zinnecker, Theresa McCullough, Natalie Vatter and Salma Simonin.
- Fifteen different Bears have recorded a point this season.
- Goalkeepers Makinzie Short and Ashlee Zirkel have split time in goal this season, with Zirkel starting in the last five conference matchups.
- Six Bears have recorded their first-career goals so far this season. The most recent coming from Salma Simonin who has recorded a goal in the last two matches.
- The Bears have not recorded a loss through the past four games and now hold a 3-3-1 record in conference play.
- Against UCF this week, A clutch goal off the foot of sophomore Hallie Augustyn with less than 10 minutes to play lifted the Bears to a 2-1 road win over the Knights.
- BU's seven goals against ACU this season was the first seven-goal game since Sept. 18, 2016, when the Bears beat Jackson State at home, 7-0.
- Also, in the win over ACU, Ashley Merrill recorded the first hat trick for the Bears, since Taylor Moon did so on March 27, 2021, vs Louisiana.
- Merrill now ties Baylor records with three second-half goals and six second-half points. Her three goals in under four minutes is the fastest hat trick in Baylor soccer history. She also has now scored in five matches so far this season.
- Baylor's four goals in the win against Iowa State last week marked the second time this season the Bears have scored four or more goals. Ashley Merrill became the first Bears to record eight goals in a season since Mackenzie Anthony did so during the 2021 season.
- The Bears and Cincinnati Bearcats will be facing off for the first time in program history on Thursday.
- BU holds the 14-3-4 all-time record over the Horned Frogs, with the Bears falling last season 0-2. The Bears have won or tied TCU in five of the last six matchups.
- BaylorBears.com -
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