Chris Glinski scored two minutes into overtime as No. 13 Michigan escaped the UK Soccer Complex with a 1-0 win over Kentucky on Friday night.
The loss snaps the Wildcats? home unbeaten streak at 10 and their overall unbeaten streak at seven. Kentucky (6-3-1) failed to score for the first time this season. Meanwhile, Michigan (7-1-1) got back in the win column after a tie and a loss last week.
The game, played mostly in the Michigan half, was clearly Kentucky?s to win. The Wildcats outshot the Wolverines and put more shots on goal. Kentucky, also owned the advantage on corner kicks.
?We didn?t give away many opportunities,? said Kentucky coach Ian Collins. ?I thought the team played well. We got in behind them time after time and every time we got the ball, we were dangerous. We competed really hard. The game was going to be won on a mistake and, sure enough, it was.
?Michigan has quality players and we gave them everything they could handle. We have a quality program and this is a tough loss. I hate it, but it happens.?
Less than a minute into the overtime period, senior Jamal Shteiwi had a tremendous opportunity for the golden goal, but didn?t connect cleanly on his shot which sailed harmlessly wide from 18 yards.
?Anthony (Peters) flicked the ball on and I touched it past the defender. I thought the game was over because nine times out of 10 I would have buried that ball in the back of the net,? Shteiwi said. ?But, it just wasn?t our night.?
Michigan answered right away. After Wolverine corner kick was played out, it fell directly to Adam Bruh at the top of the box. He tried to play the bouncing ball on net, but pulled it badly, right to Glinski who scored it from inside six yards.
?We played 92 minutes of good, solid soccer and then a five-second mistake cost us,? Shteiwi said. ?It?s tough.?
Peters had the best Kentucky opportunity late in regulation. He took the ball from 25 yards out and roped a ball for just inside the right post. However, Michigan keeper Joe Zawacki made an outstanding diving effort to punch the ball wide.
?Anthony Peters was outstanding,? Collins noted. ?I thought we had the game won. The keeper made an unbelievable save.?
Starting right defensive back Nathan Marks sat out the game for the Wildcats with a slight injury. It was the first time he has not started this season. The move affected Kentucky?s depth as Collins used just one substitute the entire contest.
?The defense played really well, but Nathan could have obviously given us more depth tonight,? Collins said. ?We would have had another player coming off the bench that maybe could have given us a spark.?
The loss is the third for the Wildcats this year against a ranked opponent. Kentucky opened the year by falling to No. 7 SMU and No. 17 Tulsa.
The Wildcats return to action on Sunday when they travel to Buffalo for a 1 p.m. contest. Kentucky returns home to face defending national champion Indiana on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
