Oct. 7, 2014
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UK men’s soccer team will hit the road for a midweek Conference USA fixture against 21st ranked UAB on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at West Campus Field.
Kentucky (4-3-3, 0-0-2 C-USA) is undefeated in league play this year having drawn Florida Atlantic and Old Dominion in its last two outings.
UAB (6-3-1, 1-0-0) is coming off a 1-0 loss on the road to Akron last Saturday.
UAB enters the match in a three-way tie for third place in the conference on three points, while UK sits in sixth position alone with two points from two games.
The match will be streamed via the uabsports.com premium subscription service, and uabsports.com will also provide gametracker.
Wednesday’s match will pit the conference’s top statistical defense (UK) against its No. 2 offense (UAB) in terms of goals per game.
The UK defense, with Callum Irving in goal and a first-choice back-4 of Reymann, Kaelon Fox, Jordan Wilson and Matt Quick, is allowing under a half a goal per game (0.47), which also ranks No. 7 in the country.
The Wildcats have allowed five goals all year, and with six clean sheets from 10 games UK ranks ninth nationally in shutout percentage.
For its part, UAB ranks second in C-USA with a goals per game average just under 2 (1.80) as the Blazers have scored a total of 18 goals in 10 outings.
Kentucky and UAB are 5-5 all-time in the head-to-head. The Wildcats have a 3-2 advantage in Birmingham, while the Blazers are 3-2 in Lexington.
UAB edged UK 2-1 last year with two first half goals, before UK got back a late consolation.
Senior striker Justin Laird has emerged at the head of the UK attack in recent weeks, as he scored his team-leading third goal of the season last Friday against ODU. Laird is the only Wildcat with multiple goals this year, as the UK offense has been balanced. Five of Laird’s teammates have one goal apiece.
Left back Charlie Reymann has the team-lead in assists with three, while Napo Matsoso and Sam Miller have chipped in this year with two assists each.
