Wildcats prepare for tournament after going undefeated in the regular season.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — After going undefeated in regular season Mid-American Conference play, the Kentucky Wildcats (12-5-1, 6-0-0 MAC) look to duplicate their success in the post-season conference tournament when it faces Bowling Green State (7-8-5, 2-3-1 MAC) Sunday at 3 p.m.
Bowling Green, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, defeated No. 5 seed Northern Illinois, 2-1, Friday afternoon to advance to the semifinals to face the top-seeded Wildcats. Kentucky received a bye in the quarterfinal round by winning its third regular season title in four years.
UK blanked the Falcons, 3-0, in its first conference match of the season Oct. 5 at Bowling Green. Freshman Nathan Li put the Cats on the board in the fourth minute of the match and Kentucky never looked back. Freshman Riley O’Neill and junior Jamal Shteiwi added insurance goals late in the match.
The 2003 Wildcats are the only team in MAC history to go through the regular season without giving up a goal and Kentucky is 6-0-0 in conference play for the second time in three years. Ian Collins’ team appears to get better with each match this season. The Wildcats went 8-2-0 over their final 10 games, recording six shutouts and outscoring opponents 17-4 during that stretch.
Kentucky Highlights
Kentucky is ranked 10th among NCAA Division I programs in team goals against average (0.65) and 16th in shutout percentage (0.50)
UK is ranked No. 28 in the latest College Soccer News poll
The Wildcats are No. 5 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America Great Lakes Region poll
Kentucky players received five of the 10 MAC Player of the Week honors this season.
Kentucky Opponents
UK’s 2003 opponents have a combined record of 147-120-41
Five Kentucky opponents are currently ranked in one of four national polls
No. 9 Indiana – IU 1, UK 0
No. 9 North Carolina – UNC 2, UK 1
No. 12 Washington – UW 2, UK 1
No. 16 Akron – UK 1, UA 0
No. 22 Cincinnati – UK 1, UC 0
(Rankings listed are the highest of the four polls)
Kentucky Player Highlights
Jamal Shteiwi – Midfielder
Jamal Shteiwi, a first team All-MAC performer last season, is slowly rewriting the Kentucky record books. Shteiwi holds the single season assist record (12) and ranks second all-time at UK with 16 career assists in three seasons. Former Wildcat Brian Dausman (1992-95) holds the career record with 22.
The Cincinnati, Ohio, native leads the conference in assists as well as assists per game and is tied for second with three game-winning goals. Shteiwi’s 22 points also ranks second in the conference through regular season play. He was named MAC Player of the Week twice this season.
The junior is ranked 9th in the NCAA in assist per game average (0.67).
Andy Gruenebaum – Goalkeeper
Andy Gruenebaum has had an outstanding season in goal for the Wildcats. The sophomore holds a 0.65 goals against average, which is the 16th best in the NCAA, and did not relinquish a goal in MAC conference play through six regular season matches.
Gruenebaum tallied 53 saves on his way to nine shutouts, the second most in Kentucky history. He was named to the College Soccer News “National Team of the Week” (Oct. 12-18) and MAC Player of the Week twice this season.
Brandon Stewart – Defender
Brandon Stewart was named Defensive MVP of the adidas/Spartan Classic in Greensboro, N.C. after two solid performances against UNC Greensboro, No. 3 North Carolina. The sophomore from Dallas, Texas has started in 30 of 32 matches in his two seasons with the Wildcats and played a vital role on Kentucky’s back four defensive unit.
Chris Austin – Defender
Chris Austin is Kentucky’s senior captain on defense who has directed nine shutouts this season. Austin was named to the Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week, Oct. 12-18. He was also recognized by CoSIDA on its 2003 Academic All-District IV University Division Men’s Soccer Team.
Riley O’Neill – Forward
Riley O’Neill has had one of the best offensive freshman campaigns in the history of Kentucky soccer. O’Neill leads UK in goals scored with six and has contributed three assists. The Campbell River, British Columbia, native is second on the team in points (15) and has started in 11 of Kentucky’s 18 matches this season.
