LEXINGTON ? The Kentucky men?s soccer team will put its seven-game unbeaten streak and 10-game home-unbeaten streak on the line Friday at 7:30 p.m. when it welcomes No. 13 Michigan to the UK Soccer Complex.
After dropping the first two games of the year, the Wildcats have gone unbeaten to tie the school record with a seven-game streak. At home, Kentucky has been even better, not losing since September 2003 en route to a school-record 10-game unbeaten run.
?I think we?ll have a great turnout for the game,? said Kentucky coach Ian Collins. ?It?s going to be a little chilly this weekend with the good fall weather, but we?re expecting a great crowd. It will be a fun, well-played game.?
However, Michigan, which was ranked as high as third a week ago, enters the game with a 6-1-1 mark and a No. 13 national ranking. The last time the Wildcats beat a ranked foe was a year ago when they downed 12th-ranked Akron. Both Kentucky losses this season came at the hands of ranked opponents.
?Players always get up for quality opponents,? said Collins. ?I wish they would get up for every opponent the same, but the nature of athletes is to be more ready for the big games, and this is a big game. I think we?re all looking forward to it. We have great respect for Michigan and know they will be giving it their best to beat us, but we?ll be giving our best to them. So lets put it on the table and see what happens.?
Perhaps most importantly for Kentucky, Friday?s contest is a regional game. Currently, Michigan is ranked second in the region while the Wildcats are fifth. Regional rankings play a huge role in determining NCAA Tournament seeding as well as which teams host early round games in the tournament.
?Every game is critical, and that goes for every team in every sport in the country,? Collins said. ?I wish the setup was different but that?s the way it is. Our guys have to come ready to play. I?m hoping our preparation has been good enough and we?ll play that way.?
Last time out, Kentucky scored in the 89th minute to avoid overtime in a 2-1 win over Ohio State. It was the sixth time in seven games the Wildcats have scored at least two goals.
?I think the sign of a good team is ? especially when you do it against good competition ? to play badly and win. But I think the Ohio State game is past and that bubble is burst. Our focus is geared to Friday.?
Friday?s game marks the first time Kentucky and Michigan have ever met in soccer.
