Oct. 3, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. — After falling to sixth-ranked Indiana Tuesday night, the No. 13 Kentucky men’s soccer team returns to action Sunday afternoon, hosting conference foe UAB at 4:30 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex.

Kentucky (7-2-0, 0-1-0 Conference USA) fell to Indiana 3-0 Tuesday night, UK’s first non-conference loss of the season. The Wildcats have only been beaten twice in the last 19 games, which included a school-record 15-match unbeaten streak that dated from October 2008 until September 2009.

The Wildcats have been led offensively by freshman midfielder Matt Lodge, who despite missing UK’s tilt with IU due to injury, leads UK with four goals and one assist. Jason Griffiths, Tyler Burns and Chad Hagerty have each added two goals, while Marco dos Santos and C.J. Tappel lead UK with two assists each.

In goal, senior keeper Dan Williams has worked in 821 minutes and nine games, allowing eight goals and a 0.88 goals-against average. The native of Fairfax Station, Va., has three shutouts to his credit in 2009, giving him 17 total clean sheets in his sparkling four-year career, ranking fourth-best in UK school history.

UK leads the all-time series with UAB, 4-1-1, with the lone loss coming in 2006. Last year, UK got a game-winning goal in overtime, edging the Blazers 2-1 in Birmingham.

UAB (6-2-1, 0-0-1 C-USA) have gotten off to an excellent start to the season, notching a win over No. 10 Illinois-Chicago on the road and securing a 1-1 tie in the conference opener at SMU in Dallas. The Blazers have been led by Babayele Sodade, who has four goals and one assist, with Kori Gyawu adding three goals and one assist. Preseason All-Conference performer Two-Boys Gumede has led UAB with three assists and one goal, with Victor Sambade adding two goals. John Markey and Sibusiso Macwele have each contributed two assists. Sodade leads UAB with 31 shots and 15 shots on goal.

In goal, UAB’s Carl Owszczynski has established himself as one of the top keepers in the conference, allowing only seven goals in nine games and 830 minutes. Owszyczynski has three shutouts and a 0.76 goals against average, saving 36 shots.

Kentucky has climbed to as high as No. 13 nationally in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25, equaling a school-record. UK ranked No. 13 in a 2006 NSCAA top-25.