Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The University of Kentucky men’s soccer team took 13th-ranked Penn State to two overtimes tosecure a 1-1 tie on the second day of the Ohio State Nike Classic at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. With this match, UKends the regular season 8-8-1.

The Cats dominated the game from the beginning, winning balls out of the air and successfully gaining possession with good timing and excellent footwork. UK held a 6-2 first-half shot advantage while senior goalkeeper Brian O’Leary collected one save.

The Nittany Lions (11-4-2) took the lead in the 26th minute when Derek Potteiger was able to knock the ball pastO’Leary off of a shot that hit the left post.

UK did not lie down, however, as they increased their defensive intensity. The Cats then knotted the game at one at 69:00 when senior Greg Bironas sent the ball to sophomore Chris McDaniel, who went one-on-one with PSU goalkeeper Ryan Sickman and blasted the ball into the lower right corner of the net.

The Cats were able to find many open passing lanes and delivered the ball for excellent scoring opportunities. They missed on a couple of shots, hitting the side posts, while Sickman made some great saves. On the day, UK outshot PSU 19-15, with a 9-3 corner-kick advantage.

“This was a great soccer match,” head coach Ian Collins said. “It proves to our players that they can play with the top teams in the country. I am very proud of the effort our guys gave. Every one of them played great.”

UK placed two athletes on the All-Tournament team with senior Giovani Fernandes and junior Ilkka Jantti earning the honor for their hard work on the field.

The Cats now prepare for postseason action in the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Nov. 3-5, in Buffalo, N.Y., with the championship game on Nov. 12. Pairings will be announced on Monday, Oct. 30.

                1       2       OT1     OT2     FPenn State      1       0       0       0       1Kentucky        0       1       0       0       1Goals: UK  Chris McDaniel (Greg Bironas) 69:00; PSU  Derek Potteiger (Matt Leahy, Brett Forbrich) 25:16Shots: UK 19; PSU 15Goalkeeper Saves: UK  Brian O'Leary 3; PSU  5Corner Kicks: UK - 9; PSU  3