Kentucky extend unbeaten run in scoreless draw with South Carolina
By: Brock Gilligan
Following their overtime win last Tuesday night, the #4 Kentucky Wildcats welcomed a familiar school to The Bell for some SEC “Football” on Saturday night. The visiting South Carolina Gamecocks are the only other traditional SEC member to have a Men’s Soccer program, a team that also competes in C-USA.
The Cats are in unfamiliar territory this season. For the first time in program history they are unbeaten in their first 12 matches. Claiming their first win over ranked opposition this season on Tuesday, Kentucky recorded their eighth shutout of the season. Offence has been coming from all over the pitch as last game Daniel Evans joined the goal leaders with his third on the season, eleven different players have found the back of the net this season.
South Carolina comes into Lexington for their first match in a week, after a 4-1 loss at home by #18 FIU at home. Most of their offensive attack is from forwards Logan Frost and Peter Clement
who have combined for seven goals and six assists. Defensively they concede almost two goals per game, losing five where they concede more than one goal.
Kentucky opened the match with a lot of early pressure, earning six corner kicks in the first 20 minutes and forcing four great saves from the Carolina keeper, Ryan Bilichuk. The clearest chance of the half actually came for the Gamecocks on a defensive mistake seeing Jordan Mathews one-on-one with the Kentucky keeper Jan Hoffelner, the shot was blasted over the crossbar. The half ended scoreless.
The second half started very flat for the first 35 minutes of it with only one shot on target going the way of the Gamecocks. Kentucky had an opportunity on a cross from Martin Soereide in the 82nd minute to Casper Grening, who seemingly had an open net and missed wide. Neither team found the back of the net and the Cats entered their fifth overtime match of the season at 0-0.
The first period of overtime provided South Carolina with a couple opportunities but still no dice for either team. In the second half each team had their own close call for a goal on set pieces, but neither resulted in a goal.
Kentucky is now 9-0-4 and extended their unbeaten streak to start the year to 13 matches. They will play their next match on Tuesday, October 26 against the Bellarmine Knights at 7 pm.
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Goals
None
Saves
UK: Jan Hoffelner 5 SC: Ryan Bilichuk 5