No. 7 Kentucky Welcomes Charlotte for C-USA Home Opener
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 7 Kentucky, unbeaten through its first six matches of 2018, will return to Conference USA play against perennial conference power Charlotte at The Bell on Friday with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
The match will be streamed on SEC Network+/WatchESPN.
The setup
Both teams went to overtime in midweek road matches. Kentucky won 3-2 at Lipscomb on Tuesday with JJ Williams scoring the winner seven minutes into the first overtime.
Charlotte drew 2-2 at No. 6 Louisville on Tuesday.
Kentucky is on a league-best six-match unbeaten streak, while Charlotte is unbeaten in its last two with a win and a draw. UK is 3-0 at home.
Kentucky has started the season with a won-lost-drawn record of 5-0-1 (1-0-0 C-USA) record, tying the 2006 UK squad for the best start in varsity program history.
On Tuesday, Kentucky had its run of consecutive minutes without conceding a goal to start the season end at 603.
UK has scored 10 and conceded two goals so far this season. Williams has scored a team-high five goals, while Aimé Mabika and Kalil ElMedkhar are tied for second on the team with two goals apiece, both having scored on Tuesday.
Old Dominion and FIU top the early league table on six points apiece from two conference matches played. UK and FAU have three points from their only league match so far.
The opponent
Charlotte lost its only league match so far, 1-2 at ODU on Sept. 7.
The 49ers are 3-1-1 (0-0-1 C-USA) this season, and 1-1-1 away from home.
The history
The series between the sides is seven matches old. After failing to take any points through the first four meetings, UK is unbeaten against Charlotte over the past three years with every match going to overtime.
They drew 1-1 last year in Charlotte after UK won the two years prior. UK won the last meeting at The Bell 1-0 with Jordan Wilson heading in the winner off a corner kick in 2016.
The logistics
Gates will open at 6:30 p.m.
Friday’s match is “Heroes Night.” UK will honor members of the armed forces and first-responders with free admission. Fans can come early to meet heroes from UK and Lexington Police.
Tickets are $8 for the public and $5 for youth and seniors. Wildcat supporters five-years-old and under get in for free.
Fans can purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster or by calling (800) 928-2287, or at the ticket window at The Bell.
Kentucky Athletics is excited to continue ticket scanning at The Bell this season. Season ticket holders can use their provided digital bar codes on their mobile device to gain entry. The easiest way to manage mobile tickets is through the UK Athletics App.
Season ticket holders still receive a 2018 Kentucky Soccer scarf as a gift for their season ticket purchase (based on availability). Season tickets are still available for $42 through UKAthletics.com/tickets.
Season ticket holders can pick up their scarves at the marketing gazebo on match day.
Parking for the match is first come first served located outside the stadium’s main entrance and in the Kroger Field blue and green lots with continuous shuttle service running from car parks up to the front gates of The Bell beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The shuttle will continue until one hour after the match.
Students may ride a campus shuttle to and from the match, which begins running one hour prior to kickoff and includes stops at The 90 and the wildcat statue on north campus.
UK players will sign autographs on the side of the pitch following the match weather permitting.
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For the latest on the Kentucky men’s soccer team, follow @UKMensSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
