LEXINGTON, Ky. — Behind four goals from four different players and a three-assist night from senior midfielder Billy Weaver, the No. 7 Indiana men?s soccer team cruised by the Kentucky Wildcats, 4-0, on Wednesday evening at the UK Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (6-8-2, 4-0-2 Conference USA) entered the contest as winners in its past three games, having earned crucial conference wins over UCF, Marshall, and FIU, securing the Wildcats a bid in the C-USA tournament.
UK played without several of its key starters vs. the powerful Hoosiers, including leading assist man, junior midfielder Masumi Turnbull, who missed the game after receiving his fifth caution of the season vs. FIU. Fellow starting midfielder Jase Griffiths and forward Tim Crone also missed the contest, adding to the growing list UK?s key players missing time. Of UK?s regular playing rotation, 13 players have missed significant time this season due to injury.
Indiana (12-4-2, 4-0-1 Big Ten) possesses arguably the greatest tradition of any men?s soccer program in the country, winners of seven national championships. UK entered the contest with an all-time 1-13-1 mark against the Hoosiers, having not won a game with IU since the 1995 campaign. Indiana had never lost on UK?s home pitch.
Indiana controlled the tempo of the game, creating numerous chances offensively. The Hoosiers totaled eight shots in the game to UK?s five, forcing four corner kicks in the contest. Neither goalkeeper made a save, with UK?s Dan Williams exiting in the 78th minute.
Rich Balchan got the Hoosiers on the board in the 13th minute, taking a feed from Brad Ring into an open spot in the UK defense. From the far end of the 18-yard box, Balchan fired a shot across the box and into the far back corner of the net, past a diving Williams. The goal was Balchan?s fourth of the season.
In the 20th minute, Daniel Kelly netted his fourth goal of the season, taking a pass from Weaver and firing it into the far back corner of the net, a goal eerily similar to Balchan?s. Kelly took the shot from about 15 yards out, sending the ball through the box and into the back of the net.
Just seven minutes into the second half, Indiana built upon its lead, as Eric Alexander connected on his fifth goal of the year, getting passes from Weaver and Balchan to set up the scoring opportunity. Balchan got the pass from Weaver and passed it across the box from about 15 yards out, netting the ball past Williams.
IU tallied its fourth goal of the contest in the 58th minute, as Ring took a Weaver pass and broke into the right side of the box. Ring fired the shot from about eight yards out into the corner of the net, for his fifth goal of the year.
Kentucky didn?t build many scoring chances in the contest, registering just five shots in the game. Forward Aaron Swanson, along with freshman forward Luke Maitland, each made one effort, with freshman Stephen Beiro collecting one shot and fellow freshman C.J. Tappel firing two shots. Junior keeper Grant Ward finished off the game for the Wildcats, clocking the final 13 minutes in goal.
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday with a crucial conference match with No. 1 SMU in Lexington. The game marks the final regular season home contest at the UK Soccer Complex, also serving as the annual senior night for the UK veterans. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EDT and the game will be broadcast, on a delayed basis, on CSTV.
