MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After a scoreless first half and a UK goal to open the second frame, the Memphis Tigers scored three unanswered goals to secure a 3-1 win over the visiting Kentucky men?s soccer team, at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (3-7-2, 1-2-0 Conference USA) got on the board first as sophomore Barry Rice gave the Wildcats the lead in the 50th minute, taking a free kick from UK?s Masumi Turnbull and heading it into the back corner of the net, to put UK up 1-0 just minutes into the first half. Rice, who had played ever minute of the season for UK, had to exit late in the first half after suffering a collision with a Memphis player. The goal was Rice?s fourth of the season, all coming in the form of headers. The assist was Turnbull?s team-high third of the campaign.
Just minutes later, in the 52nd minute, Memphis (5-2-3, 0-0-2 C-USA) evened up the score as Robert Sausaman took a pass from Sean Goulding and netted home his first goal of the season. The assist for Goulding was his team-leading sixth of the season.
In the 67th minute, Memphis secured the match with a goal as defender Rick Alleman received a pass from Kevin Walsh and booted it past a diving UK keeper Dan Williams.
In the 68th minute, off a free kick, Tiger senior midfielder Kevin Walsh fired a shot that Williams reached out and got a hand on but dribbled into the net, the third and final Memphis goal.
Williams attempted to provide a steady hand in between the pipes for a Kentucky defense that allowed a staggering 18 shots, including seven corner kicks. The sophomore saved four shots, while the Memphis keeper Tyler Strom rejected two UK shots, facing 10. UK registered six corner kicks in the contest.
Freshman C.J. Tappel formed another excellent scoring opportunity for the Wildcats in the 60th minute, as the midfielder lofted a cross into the front corner of the six-yard box, just a bit too long for UK?s Crone, whose header just missed.
Turnbull nearly gave UK the lead in the 61st minute, as the midfielder found an opening from about 20 yards out and fired a shot that Strom deflected. The ball bounced just out of Strom?s hands and laid motionless just inches from the net, before Strom rolled across the grass and secured the ball before a UK player could pound the ball home.
The Wildcats had another golden opportunity just one minute into the second half, as Bingy Lara rebounded a deflected pass inside the six-yard box and fired a shot that missed left.
The teams battled in a physical first half that saw UK rack up seven fouls and two yellow cards. Memphis registered the most scoring chances in the first 45 minutes, tallying four corner kicks in the first five minutes and six in the first half. The Tigers took nine shots in the first frame.
Kentucky had a golden opportunity to take the lead early in the 15th minute, as forward Aaron Swanson lofted a cross to a jumping Tim Crone, whose header just missed wide.
Kentucky returns to action on Wednesday as it travels to Orlando, Fla., for a mid-week showdown with Central Florida. Kickoff Wednesday is set for 7 p.m. EDT.
