LEXINGTON ? Alex Morisset ripped a shot from 35 yards out and got a friendly bounce off the crossbar in the 96th minute to lead Michigan to a stunning 2-1 upset of No. 14 Kentucky on Wednesday night in front of a raucous crowd of 1,134 at the UK Soccer Complex.
The long-distance goal was the second of the game for the Wolverines, who got on the board first in the 36th minute when Mauro Fuzetti found the upper left corner of the net from 25 yards away.
On each goal, a number of Wildcat defenders were near the ball, but none stepped up to challenge, allowing the long-range attempts. There was nothing Kentucky keeper Dan Williams could do to prevent either goal.
It was a tough loss for UK, which saw its school-record tying seven-game unbeaten streak come to an end. The Wildcats also have to swallow the bitter pill of losing to Michigan in overtime for the third straight year.
The game might have never made it to extra time if not for a shot cleared off the line in the 75th minute. As with the goals, it came in from distance, this time on a free kick, but Andrew Alexander was there to head it away.
The two goals by the Wolverines came on only four shots on goal and matched the total given up by Kentucky in its previous six outings this year. The first snapped a 352:25 shutout streak that dated back four games.
In the meantime, UK?s explosive offense, which entered the contest averaging an astounding 3.67 goals per game, never seemed to get on track. Part of that might be due to the physical nature of the game, particularly in the second half when 25 fouls were whistled.
The nation?s leading scorer, Riley O?Neill had nine of the Wildcats 17 shots ? to just 14 for Michigan ? and the team?s lone goal. However, it was the one that got away that might haunt him most.
In a scoreless game in the 30th minute, Michael D?Agostino took a pass wide on the left flank and beat a defender to the end line before working towards the middle. He fed a pass along the ground to O?Neill 10 yards out, where he fired and beat keeper Patrick Sperry. Unlike on Morriset?s shot, O?Neill?s found the woodwork and bounced out. Six minutes later ? in the 36th minute ? Fuzetti gave Michigan a 1-0 lead.
Kentucky bounced back immediately, pressing forward and getting the equalizer just two minutes afterwards. The Wildcats earned a corner that D?Agostino sent in dangerously. It was headed up by Barry Rice before O?Neill snapped off a header that Sperry tipped, but couldn?t stop.
The goal was O?Neill?s nation-best 10th of the season and he has now scored in four straight games. He is one of only seven UK players in history to accomplish that feat.
Kentucky looks to rebound on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. when it hosts Mount St. Mary?s at the UK Soccer Complex. Fans can receive free admission to the game with a ticket stub from Saturday?s Kentucky football game against Ole Miss.
