Overall Record: 3-0-1, 0-0-0 C-USA
Record Last Week: 1-0-1, 0-0-0 C-USA
Recent Results
Friday, Aug. 26 * defeated Dayton, 2-0
Sunday, Aug. 28 * defeated No. 9 Michigan, 2-1
Friday, Sept. 2 * defeated Wright State, 2-1
Sunday, Sept. 4 * tied IUPUI, 2-2 (game suspended due to weather at end of regulation)
Upcoming Schedule (times eastern)
Tuesday, Sept. 6 * vs. IPFW * 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 9 * at Stanford * 5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 11 * at No. 5 California * 5 p.m.
TEAM NOTES
The 21st-ranked Kentucky men’s soccer team continued its hot start to the 2011 campaign in claiming the 10th-annual Kentucky Invitational championship over the weekend with a win over Wright State and a weather-shortened draw with IUPUI on Sunday at the UK Soccer Complex. UK will have a three-game week, including a matchup with IPFW on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, before venturing to California for a two-game road swing at Stanford and No. 5 California.
Kentucky (3-0-1) had its attempt at four consecutive wins to open the season halted by a bad weather system crossing Central Kentucky. After UK netted the game-tying goal in the 85th minute to even the game at 2-2, weather forced the game to be suspended in a tie, as a thunderstorm with heavy rains and winds evacuated the facility. UK fired the fourth-most shots in UK single-game history on Sunday, 28 total team efforts in the draw. The Wildcats posted a dominating 2-1 win over Wright State on Friday night in front of 1,597 at the UK Soccer Complex, with WSU getting a penalty-kick goal in the 90th minute.
The Wildcats have showcased a dynamic offensive attack through the first four games of the year, including a breakout weekend that saw UK take 52 shots and register 30 corner kicks in two games. Headlining UK’s offensive charge was junior Matt Lodge, who turned in an epic weekend with two goals and one assist, firing a staggering 14 shots in the two games. Lodge hit the crossbar twice and the post twice during the weekend, with a pair of magnificent goals in each game.
Overall offensively, UK owns eight goals and 11 assists through four games, allowing four opponent goals, with three goals coming on penalty kicks. UK owns an 88-25 shot advantage and a 43-9 advantage in corner kicks through the four season-opening games.
Sophomore Louisville, Ky., native Tyler Riggs has led UK with four goals and an assist, while Lodge opened his scoring with a pair of goals this weekend. Senior C.J. Tappel owns a goal and an assist, while senior Brad Walker has added a header goal on a corner kick. Charles Pettys leads UK with three assists, while Dylan Asher has charted two assists. Jonathan Brown and Steven Perinovic round out UK’s scoring efforts with an assist each. In goal, Tyler Beadle has started three games and owns a 0.67 goals-against average with five saves, allowing only two penalty-kick goals. Jack Van Arsdale filled in for Beadle on Sunday, making his UK debut in the draw.
UK has battled injuries early into 2011, as four starters were out of the lineup on Sunday, including Beadle, Asher, Marco Bordon and Gabriel Conelian.
OEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE
Matt Lodge, Jr., F (Rossington, England)
Kentucky junior Matt Lodge had a dynamic weekend, pacing the No. 21 Wildcats to the title in the 10th annual UK Invitational … A native of Rossington, England, Lodge tallied two goals and an assist in the two games, with a goal in each contest … Spearheaded a UK attack that fired 52 total shots in two games, with Lodge taking a team-best 14 efforts, including a career-high eight-shot game in a win over Wright State on Friday night … Netted his first goal of the season on Friday vs. Horizon League power WSU, a gorgeous strike that gave UK the win … On Sunday, gave UK an early lead with another eye-popping goal amongst traffic inside the box … Took a team-high six shots on Sunday, with UK firing 28 total team shots, ranking tied for fourth-most in UK single-game history … Lodge had several close calls on the weekend, hitting the crossbar and the post twice each in the two games … A two-time All-Conference USA honoree and UK’s first freshman All-America selection in 2009, Lodge owns 12 goals and six assists in his career, including five game-winning goals.
