Aug. 28, 2009
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Freshman Matt Lodge and senior Jason Griffiths each scored goals as the Kentucky men’s soccer team suffered a 4-2 loss to Marquette in its final exhibition game of the season, Friday afternoon at Valley Fields.
The game wraps up the exhibition season for UK, which opens its season Sept. 4 with the annual UK Invitational. UK will host IUPUI in the season-opener at 7:30 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex. Kentucky fell in its exhibition opener against Dayton Monday 2-1, getting a penalty-kick goal from Griffiths.
Lodge, a freshman midfielder, notched the first goal of the game in the 10th minute, firing a shot from 30 yards out that found the middle-left post. A native of Rossington, England, Lodge came off the bench Monday against Dayton and fired a team-high three shots – with two coming on goal.
In the 14th minute, the Golden Eagles evened the game courtesy of an own goal, tapped in by a UK defender.
Marquette took control with a goal in the 22nd minute, from Scott Miller, finding the far right post.
Just under two minutes into the second half, Marquette struck for another goal, as Chris Madsen netted a goal on an assist from goalkeeper Matt Pyzdrowski.
In the 52nd minute, Griffiths narrowed the advantage with his second penalty-kick goal of the exhibition season, after drilling a penalty against Dayton. In his regular-season, three-year career, Griffiths is 6-for-6 in penalty kicks.
In the 80th minute Anthony Selvaggi hooked up with Miller for the final goal of the match.
After playing the 90 minutes of regulation, the two teams played an additional 30-minute period, with each team playing freshmen, redshirt freshmen and reserves.
Last season, UK finished the year ranked No. 21 nationally, also finishing the season ranked 15th in the NCAA in scoring offense and 31st nationally in goals-against average. UK finished second in 2008 in the Conference USA regular season and tournament.
