(Aug. 19, 2000) — The University of Kentucky men’s soccer team will take on the University of Dayton in its first exhibition of the season on Sunday, August 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the UK Soccer Complex.

With practice getting underway on Tuesday, August 15, the Cats have only been together as a team for less than a week. However, they are looking forward to taking the field for the first time against actual competition.

“Everyone is excited about the upcoming season,” head coach Ian Collins said. “The internal battle for a number of positions will be very strong. We are just ready to get started.”

Though UK lost six starters from 1999, including its top two in goals and assists, and it returns only 13 letterwinners, the Cats are welcoming 16 newcomers. In addition, they still have a number of capable players coming back from last season’s Mid-American Conference Tournament champion and NCAA Tournament entry.

Leading the way will be All-MAC and All-Mideast selections senior Giovanni Fernandes and junior Ilkka Jantti. Fernandes and Jantti anchor what head coach Ian Collins calls one of the best midfields in the country.

Taking care of the goal will be Brian O’Leary. The senior out of Lexington’s Paul Laurence Dunbar High School had a stellar 1999 campaign. Playing every minute of every game, he made 60 saves with eight shutouts. He also gave up only 21 goals for a goals-against average of 0.96, the second-best in school history and good for second in the MAC.The Flyers are coming off a 9-7-2 season that included a win over Ohio State, which was ranked in No. 3 in the Great Lakes Region to close out the ’99 season. Dayton also returns eight starters and 17 letterwinners.

The Cats will finish the month of August with two more exhibitions before beginning the season in earnest at Louisville on Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Admission to all exhibitions is free.