No. 4 Kentucky Set for Top-5 Showdown Against No. 2 Indiana
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two top-five ranked rivals will face off at The Bell on Wednesday night when the No. 4 Kentucky Men’s Soccer Team will face No. 2 Indiana at 7 p.m. ET.
With $3 tickets on offer for young Wildcat fans and an initial forecast calling for a lovely early-autumn evening, the UK campus is poised to welcome the Big Blue Nation for an electric college soccer atmosphere. Additionally, fans who attend the match will be entered into a drawing to win Big Blue Madness tickets.
That match will be streamed live on SEC Network+/WatchESPN.
The quote
“It’s two highly ranked teams,” Kentucky Head Coach Johan Cedergren said. “Two teams that are having good seasons … Any time you can get a midweek non-conference game where it’s two top teams playing each other, hopefully we can get The Big Blue Nation out to support us.”
The setup
Kentucky is off to the best start in program history having gone undefeated through its first nine games (8-0-1, 3-0-0 Conference USA). IU (9-1-0, 3-0-0 B1G) is unbeaten in its last nine games.
Kentucky moved up to No. 4 in this week’s United Soccer Coaches’ poll, a program record in that rankings’ history. UK is ranked No. 5 by CollegeSoccerNews.com and No. 8 in this week’s NCAA Ratings Percentage Index.
IU is ranked No. 2 by United Soccer Coaches, CSN and in the RPI.
Kentucky has the No. 3-ranked defense (.323 goals-against average) in the nation statistically, while IU’s rearguard is ranked No. 7 (.490).
The closer look at Kentucky
The Wildcats have won four games in a row, including a 2-1 victory in the de facto Southeastern Conference Men’s Soccer Championship last Saturday at South Carolina.
UK has scored 16 and allowed three goals this year. The Wildcats have kept clean sheets in seven of nine matches to date.
Kalil ElMedkhar was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after he had a hand in all five of UK’s goals in two wins last week.
Sophomore goalkeeper Enrique Facusse, screened by a dynamic back line that has been made up of some combinations of Tanner Hummel, Leon Jones, Aimé Mabika, Cole Guindon and Keyarash Namjoupanah, has allowed three goals over 834 minutes across nine games this season.
His .323 goals-against average is ranked No. 3 in the individual national rankings.
Junior co-captain JJ Williams leads Kentucky with seven goals this season, tied for 17th nationally.
The opponent
IU has won all nine of its games since losing 1-2 at now No.1-ranked Wake Forest in the season opener on Aug. 24.
The Hoosiers have four wins against opponents ranked in the top-25 at the time they played.
Senior Andrew Gutman leads IU with six goals this season, including four game winning goals. Additionally, Griffin Dorsey, AJ Palazzolo and Justin Rennicks have tallied four goals each. On defense, sophomore Louisville native Trey Muse has 23 save this season with four shutouts.
The History
Kentucky trails Indiana in the overall series (won-lost-drawn) 1-19-3 and 0-8-2 in Lexington. They played last season in Bloomington, with the then top-ranked Hoosiers winning 2-0 on two set-piece goals.
The logistics
Gates will open at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for the public, $5 for seniors and $3 for youths. 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 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.
