Oct. 1, 2008
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Senior forward Michael Strong netted two goals in a 15-second span in the second half, as the Kentucky men’s soccer team extended its shutout streak to 314 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal, sealing a 4-0 dominating win in the Conference USA opener, on a chilly night at Sam Hood Field.
Strong, who has now totaled seven goals in UK’s nine games this season, got his first goals since a goal at Cincinnati on September 13. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Strong needed just a span of 15 seconds in the 48th minute to seal the game for the Wildcats.
Strong’s two goals in a span of 15 seconds set a new school record for UK, eclipsing the previous school mark of two goals scored in a 1995 win over Valparaiso, when Sean Endicott and Tim Fisk needed 19 seconds to net two goals.
Forward Sam Vernalls got UK’s first goal of the match in the 20th minute for his second goal of the season and junior midfielder Jason Griffiths buried a penalty kick in the 88th for the final margin.
Kentucky (5-2-2, 1-0-0 C-USA) goalkeeper Dan Williams extended his shutout streak to 314 minutes with his fourth shutout of the year and the 11th of his career. The C-USA Defensive Player of the Week, Williams totaled six saves while facing 11 shots.
UK has now not allowed a goal since a harmless 86th minute goal in a 2-1 win over Michigan on September 17, a span of 314 minutes. UK has now posted three consecutive shutouts, previously blanking an athletic Alabama A&M and UNC-Asheville.
With the win, Kentucky improves its series advantage with Marshall to 12-5-3. A year ago, UK edged Marshall in the regular season 3-1, before suffering a season-ending defeat in the conference tournament, 3-1.
UK fired 15 shots to the Thundering Herd’s 11, with seven shots on goal. Marshall goalkeeper Greg Walter posted three saves while facing 15 Wildcat shots.
UK got on the board first in the 20th minute, as Vernalls broke through the defense and took advantage of an empty net, booting the ball past the scrambling Thundering Herd defense. The goal marked Vernalls second of the season.
In the 48th minute, Tyler Burns took a ball from Marco dos Santos about midfield and fired a low-lining ball through the defense, enabling the speedy Strong to beat his defender to the ball. Strong beat the keeper to the ball in the box and lifted an arching shot over the defenders head and into the net.
Strong followed that up just 15 seconds later, recording his seventh goal of the season, finding himself open in the box and booting a ball that sailed into the left corner of the net.
UK got penalty kick in the 88th minute, after dos Santos was fouled in the box. Griffiths fired the penalty kick for his third goal of the season, all on penalties. Griffiths fired a shot that beat the keeper into the back left of the net. On his career, Griffiths is a perfect 5-for-5 on penalties.
UK’s Williams makes a prudent stop in the 26th minute off a Marshall counter attack, stepping to the edge of the six-yard box and making a physical diving stop.
In an extra-exciting play in the 29th, Vernalls and Strong teamed up to break down the Marshall defense with Strong firing an hard open shot from about 15 yards out, that missed high.
A UK foul forces a Marshall free kick in the 39th minute from the edge of the 18-yard box. MU’s Sterling Flunder takes the bending kick that sails high and forces a leaping service from Williams, who appeared to get a late read on the shot due to the UK defensive wall.
UK All-America defender Barry Rice won 5-of-7 contested header attempts in the game, only losing offensive related header attempts. Rice, a member of the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List, has now won 65-of-69 contested header attempts on the year.
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday, stepping out of conference play to face Xavier at 7 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex.
