UK Drops First Conference USA Game, 2-0 at ODU
Kentucky is 3-1-0 in Conference USA
Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion’s scored just after kickoff, and doubled their advantage early in the second half to hand No. 13 Kentucky its first Conference USA loss of the season on Saturday.
The Wildcats dropped to a 2017 record of won 6, lost 2, drew 2 (3-1-0 C-USA), while ODU improved to W6, L1, D2 (3-0-0 C-USA).
The two teams are tied atop the Conference Table on nine points, although ODU has a 100-percent record.
The goals
The Monarchs opened the scoring right away, capitalizing on a mix up in the Kentucky back line.
Niko Klosterhalfen scored his third goal of the season on a ball from Brandon Perdue placed under a diving Enrique Facusse.
ODU came out fast again in the second half scoring in the 50th minute. It was Perdue’s sixth goal of the season.
UK responded to the initial adversity admirably, outshooting ODU 7-6 in the first half. Both teams tied with 11 each over 90 minutes. Kentucky had a few scoring opportunities late in the first half, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Having to chase the game, UK applied pressure to get on the scoresheet in the second half, but ODU was equal to the task.
Andrew McKelvey and Mikkel Pedersen combined for more than half of Kentucky’s shots, firing three apiece.
Old Dominion became the UK’s first conference opponent this season to score. It was also the first goal Kentucky has conceded on a weekend game.
The quote
“It was a tough game,” UK head coach Johan Cedergren said. “You have to give a lot of credit to ODU. They’re a good team. We have to go back and do a little better defensively, but again ODU is a good team.
“There’s no shame in losing to them on the road … What I liked about today was we kept pushing. We didn’t get frustrated. We kept coaching each other on the field. We created plenty of chances and it’s just one of those where we have to tighten up a little defensively, and then we have to find a way to put the ball in the net.”
The history
Kentucky leads the all-time series 3-1-2 against ODU.
Kentucky is 1-1-1 when playing at ODU.
The next one
Kentucky will play Conference USA foe South Carolina at The Bell on Sunday, October 8th at 2 p.m.
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