LEXINGTON ? The 20th-ranked Kentucky men?s soccer team can run its unbeaten streak to a school-record six to begin the season when it faces UNC-Asheville on the road on Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Wildcats have been dominant thus far, posting a 4-0-1 record and outscoring opponents 17-2 en route to cracking the national rankings for the first time since 2004, which ended a five-year run in the polls. UNC-Asheville is 1-2 on the young season.

Senior Riley O?Neill has been the catalyst for Kentucky, scoring a whopping seven goals already, including three game winners. He has two multi-goal games, including last time out against Georgetown while playing only a half. The striker has pushed his career goal total to 18, one shy of breaking into the top five in school history.

While O?Neill has been unstoppable, he hasn?t been alone. Junior Michael Strong has already surpassed his goal total from last season with three and is showing the form that made him an all-conference choice as a freshman. Sophomore Masumi Turnbull has found the back of the net in two of the past three games, including a crucial game-tying goal at Louisville.

Meanwhile, freshmen Barry Rice and Jase Griffiths have been brilliant playing in the midfield. Rice tied the school record with three assists his last time out and currently leads the team with four. Griffiths tallied his first goal on Wednesday to go with three assists for the year.

The attacking and midfield players have mostly kept the pressure off the defense, but when called upon the back four has stepped up. Kentucky?s goals-against average is a miniscule 0.38, which ranks among the nation?s leaders, and the team has pitched three shutouts.

The Wildcats have faced UNC-Asheville eight times since 1993, winning all eight by a combined margin of 25-5. The most recent battle came in 2004 when UK scored a 3-1 win.