Wildcats conclude regular season play with hard-fought loss.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The No. 24 Kentucky men’s soccer team (12-5-1, 6-0-0 MAC) concluded regular season play with a hard-fought loss to No. 11 Indiana (10-3-4, 4-0-1 Big Ten), 1-0, at Armstrong Stadium.

Indiana senior Vijay Dias scored the lone goal of the game in the 10th minute of play. Dias and Brian Plotkin played a give-and-go at the top of the box and Dias finished the play from 15 yards out to give the Hoosiers a 1-0 advantage.

Dias’ goal was the first allowed by Kentucky in 495 minutes of play since an Oct. 12 match against then No. 3 North Carolina.

The Wildcats refused to back down from Indiana and created several good scoring opportunities in the second half. UK threatened in the 70th minute when Jamal Shteiwi’s corner kick found the head of sophomore Adam Walker. The Hoosiers managed to deflect Walker’s shot before it crossed the goal line. With five minutes remaining, sophomore Brandon Stewart attempted a header from 10 yards out that just missed the left post.

“It was a tough game and Indiana is a tough team with a lot of tradition,” head coach Ian Collins said. “Our guys played hard, but we have to put this behind us and get ready for the MAC tournament next week.”

Indiana snapped Kentucky’s five game win streak in a match up that has now been decided by one goal in each of the last three seasons.

UK is set to take the field again Sunday, Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Wildcats will face the winner of the Bowling Green State-Northern Illinois match which takes place Friday at 3 p.m.

Kentucky dominated conference play in the regular season, going 6-0-0 for the second time in three years. The Wildcats also became the first team in conference history to not relinquish a goal, outscoring MAC opponents 11-0.