Irving’s Clean Sheet Results In Draw with Memphis

LEXINGTON, Ky.  – The No. 11/15 Kentucky men’s soccer team drew 0-0 with the Memphis Tigers in a matchup of old Conference USA rivals on Saturday night at the Bell Soccer Complex. 

With the result, Kentucky moved to 2-1-1 on the year. Memphis is 0-4-1 through five games. 

All-American goalie Callum Irving recorded his first clean sheet of the season.

Kentucky generated its share of offense during the match, earning a season-high 15 corner kicks in the match, including four in the second overtime frame. The Wildcats held Memphis to just four corners during the match. UK was able to launch seven shots on the night, with two of them coming on goal. Memphis had 17 shots, and six of them on goal.

“Hard-fought game, Memphis is really good,” UK head coach Johan Cedergren said. “They have some special attacking players. We weren’t great defensively until Stefan (Stojkovic got a red card), but after that playing a man down for 40 minutes I thought we did well. And look at all the set pieces. And we had three or four chances on top of the corner so that was good. 

“In the end we have to do better because we want to win all the games we play at home.”

With just 10 seconds remaining in the first overtime, Kentucky got its best scoring chance of the match. Paul Sime received a threaded a ball from midfield out to the right flank, gathered it and had a go from 10 yards out that just missed high over the net. Memphis keeper Cody Uzcategui had two saves on the night.

In regulation, Noah Hutchins nearly connected on a bicycle kick in the 78th minute, but it was hit right to Uzcategui, and well-saved to keep the game level. Hutchins led the UK offense with three shots in the match, one on goal. Sime, Andrew McKelvey and Alex Bumpus all recorded a shot in the match. 

Memphis forced Callum Irving to make six saves, a season high. 

UK returns to action on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET against Eastern Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn.