DALLAS ? After a defensive struggle that ended in a scoreless draw at the end of regulation, the Kentucky men?s soccer team was ousted from the Conference USA Tournament on penalty kicks Wednesday afternoon at the SMU Soccer Complex.
The game, officially scored a draw, ends the Wildcats season at 6-7-6 while South Carolina moved to 10-6-2. The second-seeded Gamecocks meet No. 6 Memphis in Friday?s semifinal round.
After a tight back and forth 110 minutes, USC advanced with a 3-0 advantage on penalties. After South Carolina buried its first shot, Nathan Li fired high to end round one. Gamecock goalkeeper Mike Gustavson made back-to-back saves on penalties from Masumi Turnbull and Bingy Lara to seal the win.
“You hate to end the season this way and to see your seniors lose this way,? Kentucky head coach Ian Collins said. ?It’s tough because they played great today.”
The play was even for most of the afternoon with each team creating numerous offensive chances. Kentucky?s best opportunity came in the 27th minute on a Michael D?Agostino free kick. After Michael Strong drew a foul right on the edge of the 18, D?Agostino laced a shot over the wall that hit flush on the crossbar.
That came just minutes after Brandon Stewart rose above the defense and snapped a header just high off Turnbull?s corner kick.
In the second half, Kentucky had two chances on headers, but couldn?t find the net. In the 66th minute, Thomas Senecal put a great header on goal off a throw in and forced Gustavson to make a save. Ten minutes later, Matt Baum sent a header just wide on a free kick from D?Agostino.
“I thought our back four took over the game in the second half. They played brilliant,? Collins said. ?Andy (Gruenebaum) was tremendous in goal. He really kept us in the game. We just couldn’t convert up front.”
Gruenebaum was stellar all afternoon, making a pair of tremendous saves to keep the game scoreless. Just 15 minutes in, he stonewalled a breakaway from Ayo Akinsete and then corralled the rebound before Akinsete could get to it.
Akinsete had a pair of opportunities snuffed out in the first overtime. He took a through ball in the box in the 96th minute only to have Gruenebaum deny him again. Two minutes later, he shot wide off a throw in.
The two overtime chances came in a flurry of offensive activity for South Carolina late in the first overtime. The Gamecocks had two shots and two corners in the waning minutes of the OT.
By not advancing, the career ends for five Kentucky seniors: Senecal, Stewart, Gruenebaum, Brannan Sapp and Nikolas Moreno.
“It was a tough way to lose. I thought Andy played great and Thomas played great. It’s a tough way for them to end their career.”
