Kentucky is set to host its first ever Men’s Soccer Championships game.
The University of Kentucky men’s soccer team is set to make its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five years when it takes on the University of Cincinnati this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the UK Soccer Complex. Today, UKAthletics.com looks back at the Wildcats’ three previous trips to the tournament.
1999 — First Round
November 21, 1999
The soccer Cats’ first NCAA appearance took place in Bloomington in 1999 on the campus of Indiana University. The second-seeded Hoosiers played host to Kentucky, which had won the MAC Championship to receive an automatic bid to the tournament. The Wildcats stretched IU to the limit as the game remained scoreless for nearly two hours. In the second overtime, with the Cats down two men — one from injury and the other from ejection — Indiana finally got the decisive break when All-American Aleksey Korol scored the game-winning goal in the 113th minute of play. The Cats ended their best season since 1995 by making it to their first-ever NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers would go on to win the National Championship that season.
2000 — First Round
November 18, 2000
In their second NCAA appearance, the Cats played at ninth-ranked Saint Louis in the first round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament. The Billikens outshot the Cats by a tally of 21-7, but were held scoreless by Brian O’Leary’s 12 saves in front of a strong UK defense that chipped in with a pair of team saves. Four overtime periods could not decide the game, which entered the record books as a 0-0 tie. Per NCAA rules, penalty kicks were required to break the 150 minute deadlock, and O’Leary again shined, making two key saves and netting a PK of his own to help the Cats advance to the second round.
2000 — Second Round
November 25, 2000
Making their first appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats travelled to Dallas, Texas, to face Southern Methodist University. Muhammed Fahim, the nation’s leading scorer, led the sixth-seeded Mustangs to a 1-0 halftime lead against the Cats. UK’s Ilkka Jantti captured the equalizer in the 74th minute, scoring Kentucky’s first-ever NCAA goal. SMU’s attack was relentless, though, and Fahim completed a hat-trick late in the game to give SMU the 3-1 victory.
2001 — First Round
November 23, 2001
Kentucky played its first neutral site NCAA match when the Cats traveled to Clemson, South Carolina, to face the Mercer Bears. The teams played to a scoreless tie in the first half, but UK came out quickly in the second half when Nathan Fleetwood assisted Scot Shewey for a goal in the 48th minute. The Wildcat defense blanked Mercer to help Greg Raber to his seventh shutout of the year, as UK advanced to the NCAA second-round with a 1-0 victory.
2001 — Second Round
November 25, 2001
Fifth-seeded Clemson played host to the Cats in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The match was even throughout, with neither team able to get on the board during regulation. Both teams had chances in the first two overtime periods, but neither squad could catch a break and the match eclipsed the two-hour mark. It wasn’t until the 124th minute that the Tigers were able to finally find the back of the net. Kenneth Cutler scored the game-winning goal in the third overtime period.
2003 — First Round
November 22, 2003
Kentucky received its first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after going 12-6-1 on the season, including 6-0-0 in regular season conference play. UK is set to host a tournament match for the first time in school history as the Cincinnati Bearcats, the reigning Conference USA regular season champions come to town.
The rest is to be continued … See you Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. at the UK Soccer Complex.
Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and tickets are currently on sale. Ticket prices are $7 for adults, $5 for students and NCAA regulations state that everyone must purchase a ticket or present a credential to gain admittance.
