No. 3 Kentucky Concludes Non-Conference Slate Wednesday

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 3 Kentucky men’s soccer team will aim complete the non-conference portion of its regular-season schedule undefeated when it plays Evansville on Wednesday at The Bell. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. 

That match will be streamed live on SEC Network+/WatchESPN.

The setup
Kentucky (12-1-1, 5-1-0 Conference USA [won-lost-drawn]) has won three games in a row, and goes into Wednesday 7-0-1 in non-conference play this year. UK has emerged victorious from four-straight games outside league play since drawing at Xavier on Sept. 11.
 
The Wildcats will conclude the regular season with two more conference matches the next two weekends.
 
With their twelfth win of the year Sunday against New Mexico, the Wildcats tied the Cedergren-era record for most wins in a season.

Kentucky first-year assistant coach Josh Oldroyd spent the last two years on the Evansville staff.
 
The closer look at Kentucky
The Wildcats are ranked a program-record No. 3 by the United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News. UK is No. 10 in the most recent NCAA Ratings Percentage Index.
 
Kentucky has scored 31 goals and only allowed seven goals on the season, both of which are C-USA bests.
 
Junior forward JJ Williams has a conference-leading 12 goals including one from each of the last three. He has six game-winners, which is tied for second most in the nation. His twelve goals on the season are double what he scored in his first two seasons combined.
 
Williams  has scored the second most goals  in a single season in the UK record book. He’s four goals behind school record holder Greg Kotzbauer.
 
 Williams’ 18 career goals rank eighth on the UK all-time list. Williams has additionally tallied five assists to tally 29 points.
 
Sophomore midfielder Kalil ElkMedkhar finished with three goals and an assist in Kentucky’s triumphs last week. He has 20 points on the season from seven goals and six assists, tied for 10th most by a UK player in a single year. Additionally, Elkmedkhar ranks second in CUSA for assists and fourth in points this season.
 
ElMedkhar was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. He earned the honor for the second time this season, having previously been named C-USA Player of the Week on Oct. 1.
 
Central defenders Aimé Mabika and Leon Jones, flanked by Tanner Hummel and Cole Guindon were  key in last week’s two victories, aiding in  helping keep a clean sheet at Ohio State and then a large-marginvictory against New Mexico on Sunday. The UK defense allowed only five shots collectively during those two games.
 
Kentucky has kept 10 clean sheets this season, second most in the nation.
 
Goalkeeper Enrique Facusse has stopped 40 of the 47 shots he’s faced this year, good for an 8-percent save percentage, which ranks No. 7 in the nation.

The opponent
Evansville will arrive at The Bell with a won-lost-drawn record of 3-6-6 ( 1-2-1 Missouri Valley Conference).
 
The Wildcats and Purple Aces have faced two common opponents this season – Lipscomb and Indiana. Kentucky defeated both sides, while Evansville defeated Lipscomb and lost to IU.
 
Juniors Ben Weber and Simon Waever lead the way for Lipscomb statistically. Weber, a forward, has a team-high three goals on the season, with two game winners. Waever is currently ranked third in “The Valley Conference” with five assists this season. Junior goalkeeper Frederik Reimer’s 4.07 saves-per-game average is ranked second in the conference.
 
Head Coach Marshall Ray was a player at Evansville in the 90s,  and returned to campus as an assistant in 2006. He’s in his fourth season as head coach, with a 27-35-11 record (37 percent).

The history
Kentucky leads Evansville in the overall series 6-4. The Wildcats have won three in a row against the Purple Aces, having most recently met in 2016 in Evansville.
 
UK defeated Evansville 3-1 in 2016. Williams scored UK’s second goal that night, one of the three he scored in his freshman seasonThe second goal for the Cats came from JJ Williams, one of his three scored during his freshman season. 
 
The logistics
Gates will open at 6 p.m. ET.
 
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.