Oct. 11, 2002
The University of Kentucky men’s soccer team dropped a 3-2 overtime heartbreaker to Alabama A&M Friday night at the UK Soccer Complex. Senior Chris McDaniel had a goal and an assist for the Wildcats (7-4-0), but Eugene Sepuya’s hat-trick gave the Bulldogs (8-3-1) the hard-fought victory.
The first half of the match went back and forth, with each team shooting four times. Kentucky broke onto the scoreboard in the 36th minute when junior Clark Miller scored on a header from 10 yards out. McDaniel set up the play with a cross from the left corner of the 18-yard box. The teams went into the locker room tied at one.
Alabama A&M fought back in the second half, tying the score in the 58th minute. Sepuya took a pass from Abdou Manneh and beat UK senior goalkeeper Greg Raber. The Bulldogs would take the lead nine minutes later, when Sepuya scored off another assist from Manneh, this time a header off a cross from Wilbur Musika.
Down a goal, Kentucky pressured Alabama A&M for the next 20 minutes but were unable to come up with the equalizer. In the 89th minute, Scot Shewey crossed a ball to fellow-senior John Monebrake, whose shot was deflected to McDaniel. The Tulsa, Okla., native scored his 12th career goal to tie the game at the 88:14 mark.
In overtime, both teams had their chances, but it was the Bulldogs who were able to capitalize. On a counterattack, Manneh found a streaking Sepuya with a through ball in the 96th minute, and the junior put the game away for Alabama A&M.
Kentucky will remain at home next week and play host to second-ranked Indiana on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the UK Soccer Complex.
1 2 OT FKentucky 1 1 0 2Alabama A&M 0 2 1 3
Scoring SummaryUK Clark Miller (McDaniel) 35:31AAM Eugene Sepuya (Manneh) 57:03AAM Eugene Sepuya (Manneh, Musika) 66:03UK Chris McDaniel (Monebrake, Shewey) 88:14AAM Eugene Sepuya (Manneh) 95:25
Shots: UK 14; AAM 10Saves: UK 3; AAM 4Corners: UK 8; AAM 4Fouls: UK 16; AAM 21Cards: UK 2; AAM 1Attendance: 145
