Sept. 13, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The UK men’s soccer team will attempt to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 1999 when it battles Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Sunday at 3 p.m. E.D.T. Kentucky (2-0-0) has not relinquished a goal thus far in the 2003 season. The Cats blanked UNC Asheville, 3-0, in its first game and edged Cincinnati, 1-0, in its second. However, head coach Ian Collins expects Sunday’s match against Western Kentucky (2-2-0) to be a hard fought game.
“These in-state game are never easy to play and it will be a difficult game in a hostile environment,” Collins said. “Everyone on Western Kentucky’s team has speed. They fly all over the field; work very hard and I know they’ll be up for the game against us.”
The Wildcats lead the all-time series against the Hilltoppers, 5-2-0. UK defeated WKU, 1-0, in their last meeting, Sept. 24, 2000 at the UK Soccer Complex.
Western Kentucky is coming off a 6-0 win over Kentucky Wesleyan and is averaging 3 goals per contest. Senior defender Ron Plute and sophomore Richard Mupfudze are the Hilltoppers’ defensive and offensive leaders, respectively.
The Cats have relied on a solid defensive unit in its first two games of the season. Sophomore Andy Gruenebaum, who started seven games as a freshman, averages four saves per game and has the best goals against average, 0.00, in the Mid-American Conference. Against Cincinnati, the Overland Park, Kan., native made several diving saves to keep the Bearcats off the scoreboard.
Kentucky Off To A Fast Start
UK started the 2003 season with a bang by blanking UNC Asheville, 3-0. The Wildcats out shot the Bulldogs 20-5 and its tenacious defensive unit did not allow a shot until the 52nd minute of the game.
Senior Brook Pearse scored the fourth goal of his career as a Wildcat and sophomores Joey Gaworecki and Thomas Senecal scored their first career goals in Kentucky uniforms. Also, sophomore goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum recorded his first career shutout.
Coach Ian Collins and his troops made University of Kentucky history Thursday against Cincinnati, when they edged the Bearcats, 1-0. The shutout marked the first time in UK history the men’s soccer program has opened with two shutouts to start the season. Senecal scored the game’s lone goal in the 44th minute of play off a free kick by junior Jamal Shteiwi.
Kentucky’s undefeated start has earned the Cats a No. 9 ranking in the NSCAA Great Lakes Region.
