COLUMBUS, Ohio ? The Kentucky men?s soccer team got on the board first but could not hold the lead and settled for a 1-1 tie with No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday afternoon at Jesse Owens Memorial Coliseum.
The tie is the second straight for UK, which moves to 3-2-3 on the season. The defending Big Ten champion Buckeyes now stand at 5-2-1. It was the best result for the Wildcats in Columbus as they were 0-4 there all time heading into the game.
Kentucky got on the board first in the ninth minute after a misplay by Buckeye goalkeeper Ray Burse. The ball was sent back to Burse, who played it off his foot right to Riley O?Neill (Campbell River, British Columbia/Tiberline) on the right side of the box. Nathan Li (Delta, British Columbia/White Rock Christian) streaked into the middle, took a feed from O?Neill and calmly buried the ball in the open net.
The goal was the first of the year for Li, who started at forward for the first time, and the third of his career. O?Neill tallied his third assist and has now scored or assisted on six of Kentucky?s 10 goals this season.
Ohio State answered in the 65th minute on a goal by Eric Brunner. Danny Irizarry served the ball in from the right flank where it was knocked down in front of the goal. Brunnerk barely got a foot on it to beat Andy Gruenebaum (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley North).
One minute later UK had a great chance to regain the lead when Travis Young (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft School) found a wide open Jess Mitchell (Plano, Texas/Plano) 10 yards out. However, Mitchell fired high the keep the game knotted.
The shot off the crossbar matched a shot by Irizarry that went off the bar in the second minute.
The Wildcats produced a flurry of chances in the 69th minute. Patrick Conyea (Hickory, Ky./Mayfield) got the action started by flicking a header just over a line of players at the top of the box. Nathan Marks (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) was the first player to it and had his shot from point-blank range saved.
The rebound fell right to Li, who fired a shot that careened off the cross bar and bounced directly in front of the net. O?Neill got a head on that rebound, but sent it over the net.
Two minutes later Ohio State had a chance, but Gruenebaum made a tremendous save on Antonio Garcia?s shot from right in front to preserve the tie. It was the second save on a shot from inside the six-yard for Gruenebaum on the afternoon. He finished the game with four saves.
The game was a physical one that saw Kentucky commit a season-high 36 fouls and receive eight yellow cards. Conversely, Ohio State was whistled for 21 fouls and awarded four yellows.
The Buckeyes outshot the Wildcats 22-14, but that number was bolstered by a 5-0 advantage in the overtime periods. Kentucky had seven corners to just four for Ohio State.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday against Florida International at Miami, Fla. The game is the Wildcats? Conference USA opener.
