EVANSVILLE – Facing a two-goal deficit, the University of Evansville women's soccer team buckled down and worked their way back into the match on Friday night at McCutchan Stadium. However, the comeback would fall just short as the Purple Aces fell 3-2 to visiting Cincinnati.
 
"We came back and got ourselves in the game after not having a great start to the second half," UE head coach Krista McKendree said. "That's what you like to see. That said, we have to finish those chances in the first half. It could've given us a two or even three goal cushion. For us, that's part of the growing phase. We're creating chances, but now we have to capitalize on them."
 
After an early second half surge gave the Bearcats (3-0-0) a 3-1 edge, a Bronwyn Boswell penalty brought it back within one, and Colleen Dierkes' would-be equalizer was narrowly saved off the line by UC goalkeeper Claudia Eustaquio with just over three minutes remaining in the game.
 
"Our mentality this year has been great," McKendree said. "We like to battle. We might have a bad spell here or there, but the girls are not quitting. They're out there fighting and creating chances, and that's what you like to see. This Cincinnati team is good, and it's great to see the team stay motivated and get back into it."
 
The Aces (1-2-0) were very much on the front foot for much of the early goings. Montana Portenier had the first chance of the game, racing up the left flank and turning her defender, but her third minute attempt wouldn't find the goal. However, the London, Ontario, native got a second chance in the 23^rd minute, racing past the Bearcat defense to score the opener.
 
The goal, her first of the season, was also her first since 2014 after missing all of last year due to injury.
 
UC wasted little time in responding as a 26^th-minute strike from distance by Katy Couperus leveled the game just three minutes later.
 
A Kyleigh Dominguez penalty and Bailey Wilson goal in the first eight minutes of the second half put UC ahead for good.
 
The Aces were out-shot 19-10 in the game, and Whitney Biggs collected a season-best six saves.
 
UE will return to action on Sunday with a trip to Austin Peay. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
 
NOTES: UE is 10-13-1 all-time in its first home match of the year … The Aces are 3-6-2 all-time against Cincinnati … The series is one of the oldest in UE history as the two sides were league foes in both the Great Midwest Conference and Conference USA … The first meeting was a draw at UC on Oct. 21, 1994, and the Bearcats followed up with a Great Midwest tournament victory two weeks later … UE repaid the favor the next season with a pair of 3-0 wins in CUSA … The series would go dormant in 2004 until it was revived with a 4-0 Bearcat win in Cincinnati last October … The Aces are 5-0 all-time against Austin Peay … The two sides first met in 2005 in Clarksville, and UE came away with a 3-0 win in the last meeting, which took place on Aug. 22, 2014.
 
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