Oct. 12, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Tim Crone and Brad Walker each netted a goal and junior goalkeeper Dan Williams posted three saves in his 12th career shutout, to lead the Kentucky men’s soccer team to a 2-0 upset of No. 18 South Carolina, in front of 1,399 fans at the UK Soccer Complex.
“We really battled and got an excellent result against a very good South Carolina team,” head coach Ian Collins said. “We really wanted to come out and set the tempo and be aggressive and I thought we did just that. They have a few of the better players in the nation and our focus was to limit them, and we did a great job. Both of the goals were tremendous and Dan (Williams) really made some excellent plays in goal.”
Kentucky (6-4-2, 2-1 Conference USA) bounced back with a conference win after suffering a 2-1 loss at No. 14 Tulsa, losing on an own goal, despite a goal from Crone. Crone, a junior forward, notched a goal in the second consecutive game, bringing his season total up to four, good for second on the team.
In a battle of the two top offensive teams in the conference, UK played without two of its top scorers, front-line players Michael Strong and Taylor White, who both did not dress due to injury. Despite nine of its 23 season goals on the bench, Crone and Walker picked up the slack, with Walker getting his first career goal on a corner kick from Chad Hagerty. UK held potent USC scoring threat Sam Arthur (10 goals in 11 games, 3 assists) to only two shots, with one attempt on goal.
South Carolina (6-4-2, 1-1-1 C-USA) had suffered losses only at No. 1 Wake Forest, No. 13 North Carolina and traditional soccer power Furman before coming to Lexington Sunday. USC, which entered the game with one loss in the last six games, tied the high-octane SMU Mustangs on October 8.
Williams, a 6-foot-2, three-year starter in goal, saved three shots while facing 10 Gamecock shots. With his fifth shutout of the season, Williams totaled his 12th career shutout, tying him for fourth all-time at UK. His fifth blanking of the season ties him for ninth all-time in the UK single-season record books, a feat he accomplished during UK’s 13-win 2006 campaign.
USC keeper Jimmy Maurer, considered one of the top keepers in the conference, totaled four saves, facing nine UK shots.
Kentucky got on the board with a goal in the 51st minute, as C.J. Tappel played the ball into the box, with a South Carolina defender missing on his attempt to clear. Crone collected the ball while open about 15-yards out, firing a low-lining, curving shot into the back of the net, past a diving keeper. The assist was Tappel’s, a 2007 Conference USA All-Freshmen team selection, second assist of the season.
In the 80th minute, Hagerty lineup up for a corner kick, lofting a beautiful cross into Walker, who used his athletic 6-foot-2 frame to leap above the defense and head it into the back of the net. The assist was Hagerty’s first of the year.
South Carolina had a good chance in the 13th minute, as Blake Brettschneider fired a shot that forced a diving save by Williams.
Williams again made a nice save minutes later as the leader scorer in the conference, Arthur took a shot that required a leaping, diving, one-handed save to keep the game scoreless.
Tappel had a good chance in the 23rd minute, finding himself open from 15-yards out, firing a curving low shot that missed wide.
In the 44th minute, Williams stopped a potential threat, coming out of the six-yard box and laying out for a loose ball in front of the Wildcat goal.
UK totaled nine shots to the Gamecocks 10, with USC holding a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Preseason All-American Barry Rice won 5-of-8 contested header attempts in the game, bringing his season total up to 77-for-85, in 11 of UK’s 12 games this season, minus the game at Tulsa.
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Birmingham, Ala., for a conference tilt with UAB at 7 p.m. ET.
