Sept. 6, 2008
SANTA BARBARA
, Calif. —
David Walker’s header in the fifth minute proved to be the difference for the seventh-ranked UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, who handed Kentucky its first defeat of the season, a 1-0 loss on Friday night in front of 2,753 fans at Harder Stadium.
Kentucky
(2-1) allowed its first goal of the season, the only goal that the high-powered Gauchos needed, as Walker connected with defender Jon Curry on a header off a corner kick. UK, which opened its first two games with school records for most goals scored and margin of victory, was on the defending end for the majority of the first half, before applying significantly more offensive pressure in the second half, narrowly missing tying the game on several occasions.
UCSB, the national champions in 2006, outshot Kentucky 27-13, holding a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks and a 5-2 advantage with shots on goal.
Freshmen Marco dos Santos and Taylor White assumed the large majority of the defensive pressure, as dos Santos led the team with three shots and White firing one. Senior forward Michael Strong, the reigning Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, utilized his speed to breakthrough the UCSB backline throughout the contest. Sophomore defender Stephen Beiro also fired three shots in the contest, with two of his shots narrowly missing the goal wide.
Kentucky
goalkeeper Dan Williams kept UK in the game with four saves in the first half. Williams, UK’s three-year starter in goal, thwarted several UCSB chances, including a clutch save in the 24th minute, stopping a header attempt off a cross.
UK
returns to action on Sunday, wrapping up its west-coast road swing with No. 24 Cal Poly at 4 p.m. ET.
UCSB got on the board in the fifth minute as Walker delivered a header from the back of the six-yard box, leaping past a closely defending White and heading it past Williams. The goal was the first allowed by Kentucky in 2008, snapping a 180-minute scoreless streak.
In the 53rd, Kentucky sophomore midfielder Tyler Burns had an outstanding look from just past the 18-yard box, but his shot was deflected, setting up a corner kick for the Wildcats. Off the corner, dos Santos ran in front of the defense and headed the ball off the inside post, inches shy of a goal. Dos Santos immediately rebounded the shot and attempted to sneak it in the goal but his shot missed wide.
In the 55th, UK continued to apply the pressure, getting a free kick from 35 yards away, finding Beiro on a glancing header attempted that missed just wide.
In the 65th, Burns fired a shot from about 22 yards away, aiming for the back corner of the net. UCSB’s keeper leaped and just got a mitt on the ball, smacking it away for a UK corner attempt. Off the corner, Beiro collected the ball and fired the shot wide.
Kentucky
had a few good opportunities, including in the eighth minute when dos Santos broke through the defense and fired a shot from over 20 yards that missed high.
In the 40th minute, Jason Griffiths fired a shot from 30 yards out in the center of the field, sailing high over the net.
UK
defender Barry Rice, the C-USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year, won 6-of-6 contested header attempts, bringing his seaosn total up to 23-for-23.
