Oct. 18, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tyler Burns’ goal with 41 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the Kentucky men’s soccer team to a dramatic 2-1 win over the host UAB Blazers, on a chilly Saturday night at West Campus Field.
Kentucky (7-4-2, 3-1 C-USA) allowed a goal in the 83rd minute, evening up the game at 1-1 and setting up Burns’ heroics. Burns, a native of Aura, Colo., took a feed from Chad Hagerty and Tim Crone, nailing a diving kick for his first career goal, giving UK a dramatic win on the road in the 99th minute.
Stephen Beiro needed just 18 seconds in the game to net UK’s first goal of the contest, setting the school record for the quickest goal in the history of the program, eclipsing the previous record of one minute and 12 seconds, set in a 1995 game vs. Western Michigan.
Just seconds deep into the match, a UK player was fouled near the corner of the UAB goal, setting up a free kick. Hagerty took the free kick, delivering a line-drive that Beiro headed past a flurry of defenders into the net. The goal marked Beiro’s first career and the assist was Hagerty’s second of the year.
Hagerty, a senior from Louisville, Ky., totaled two assists in the game, giving him a team-leading three on the season. Crone’s assist was his second of the year. The overtime goal marked UK’s 22nd all-time goal in extra time.
The Wildcats out shot UAB 12-11, with the Blazers holding a 9-6 advantage in corner kicks. UK keeper Dan Williams allowed his first goal in a span of 196 consecutive minutes, dating back to an own goal at Tulsa. Williams posted four saves, while UAB’s Wes Johnson finished with two saves.
UAB got on the board in the 83rd minute, with a flurry of activity in the box. Barry Rice deflected the ball in for an own goal, with the goal awarded to UAB’s Curtis Ushedo, tying the game up at 1-1. Of UK’s 10 total goals allowed in 2008, two came from own goals and two came from penalty kicks.
UAB (4-7-2, 1-3 C-USA) lost its seventh match of the season, all by a one-goal deficit.
Rice, a preseason All-American and member of the Hermann Trophy National Player of the Year Watch List, won 9-of-10 contested header attempts on the night, bringing his season total up to 91-for-100.
Kentucky returns to action with a two-match homestand, facing Central Florida on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. ET. UK then faced FIU on Saturday in a 7 p.m. ET matchup at the UK Soccer Complex.
