Oct. 6, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Coming off its first back-to-back losses in nearly a year, the Kentucky men’s soccer team returns to action, hosting defending Conference USA Champion Tulsa at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday at the UK Soccer Complex.

Kentucky (7-3-0, 0-2-0 C-USA) sits in last place in C-USA, after falling 1-0 in overtime against Marshall in the opener and suffering a 1-0 setback against UAB Sunday night. The Wildcats have six conference games remaining, including facing four of the top teams in the league, Tulsa, SMU, South Carolina and Memphis. In addition, UK will travel to play Louisville on Oct. 14.

The Wildcats lost both games last week, a 3-0 result at No. 6 Indiana in Bloomington and the 1-0 loss to the Blazers Sunday. UK has now only lost three times in the last 20 matches, which included a school-record 15-match unbeaten streak that dated back to October 2008.

Freshman midfielder Matt Lodge has led UK in scoring, totaling four goals and one assist in nine games, leading UK with 10 shots on goal. Senior Jason Griffiths, junior Tyler Burns and senior Chad Hagerty have each added two goals, with senior Marco dos Santos and C.J. Tappel leading UK with two assists each.

In goal, four-year starter Dan Williams has worked all 911 minutes, saving 22 shots and allowing nine goals in 10 games. A native of Fairfax Station, Va., Williams has totaled a 0.89 goal-against average with three shutouts.

Tulsa (6-3-1, 1-0-0 C-USA) has won four straight matches, including a 4-3 double-overtime win at St. Louis, in front of 4,771 fans. The Golden Hurricane has one conference win, a 3-0 result against FIU and have lost only three games during the season; 1-0 vs. No. 1 Akron, 3-2 against No. 9 Northwestern and 2-1 against Cal-State Northridge. Jose Parada has led Tulsa with five goals and two assists through 10 games. Austin Neil (three goals, two assists), Hunter Christiansen (three goals, two assists), Ashley Mcinnes (three goals, two assists), Cory Albertson (two goals, one assist) and Kilan Poeschik (two goals, three assists) have done the majority of the scoring for Tulsa. In goal, senior Andy Aguilar has worked in 10 games and allowed 13 goals and a 1.26 goals-against average.

Last time the two teams met, it was the C-USA Tournament championship game in 2008 at SMU, with Tulsa emerging victorious after topping UK 4-2 in penalty kicks. Tulsa took an early lead in the game and dos Santos evened up the game a few minutes later, with the two teams battling through a scoreless second half and two scoreless overtime periods. UK also lost in the regular-season meeting a year ago, falling on an own goal in Tulsa, a 2-1 loss.

The all-time series between the two schools is 3-3-1, with UK ‘s last win coming in 2006 in Tulsa. UK has one all-time win over Tulsa in Lexington, a 2-1 win in 2005. Tulsa is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings with UK.