BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Kentucky men’s soccer team suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 overtime defeat at the hands of 14th-ranked Indiana on Wednesday evening at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
John Mellencamp controlled in the middle of the IU attacking half and served in a perfect ball to the left edge of the six-yard box. From there, Brian Ackley won a header and sent it sailing over keeper Dan Williams just inside the far post.
The loss came as the Wildcats played a man down for the final 13 minutes of regulation and the overtime period after Nathan Marks earned his second yellow card of the contest. Both of Kentucky’s losses have come in overtime this year as the Wildcats fell to 7-2-1.
Wednesday’s defeat is another in a long line of tough losses to the Hoosiers, winners of seven national championships, including four of the last eight. Since 1999, all eight meetings have been decided by one goal or less with UK holding an 0-7-1 mark. Four of the losses have come in overtime.
In a defensive battle, Kentucky appeared to have broken through in the 62nd minute. Michael D’Agsotino sent in a free kick from the left flank and the ball was headed straight up. Marks got a head on it as the keeper came out to try to pick it out of the air. Near the goal line, Brad Frederick headed towards goal, but an IU defender cleared his shot off the line.
The effort came 10 minutes after Indiana’s best opportunity was thwarted by Williams. Mellencamp took a pass just inside the left edge of the box from Kevin Robson, dribbled towards the middle and ripped a shot from 20 yards. However, Williams came up big with a diving stab to his left.
Williams kept it scoreless in the 91st minute after the Hoosiers attacked right off the kick off. John Michael Hayden broke free down the left side, but Williams made another diving save to prevent a goal. The rebound was knocked away by D’Agostino, who was taken down by Robson a second later and had to come off the field. Ackley ended the game three minutes later.
The stat sheet showed Indiana putting forth 15 shots, but many came from distance and weren’t close to going on goal. In fact, IU had only six shots on goal to the Wildcats’ four. Historically, Kentucky-Indiana games have been very physical, but each team was whistled for only 13 fouls.
The Wildcats open Conference USA action on Sunday when they host No. 6 South Carolina. The rough stretch continues the next week as UK travels to No. 1 SMU.
