LEXINGTON, Ky. — Jordan Rose netted his first career goal and Tyler Beadle worked his second consecutive clean sheet, as the Kentucky men’s soccer team posted a 1-0 win over IUPUI in the final game of the University of Kentucky Invitational Tournament, claiming the UKIT title, in front of 712 fans on a picture-perfect Sunday afternoon at the UK Soccer Complex.
Rose, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound native of Englewood, Ohio, had a breakout weekend for the Wildcats. In his first career game on Friday night, Rose and 2009 freshman All-America selection Matt Lodge assisted on freshman Tyler Riggs first career goal in a 1-0 win over Eastern Illinois. On Sunday, with UK battling IUPUI in a physical match, Rose netted his first career goal in the 55th minute, leading the Wildcats to the tournament championship.
Kentucky (2-0-0) got an outstanding game from freshman goalkeeper Tyler Beadle, who in just his second career collegiate game worked his second shutout. Beadle, who won the starting job in a four-way competition in the preseason after four-year starter Dan Williams graduated in 2009, was dominating all weekend, saving four shots and facing 10 in the two wins. Dating back to the final game of the 2009 season at Tulsa, UK’s stout defensive unit has worked 211 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal.
The Wildcats placed four members of the team on the UKIT All-Tournament team, including Beadle, Riggs, Rose and freshman defender Dylan Asher. IUPUI and UNC Asheville tied for second in the tournament, each posting a win and a loss. Eastern Illinois suffered a 3-0 defeat to UNCA in the first game Sunday, finishing fourth in the four-team tournament.
Kentucky will return to action on Friday, hosting the Wildcat Invitational. The Wildcats will host Loyola Marymount on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET and Houston Baptist on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex.
All-Conference USA performer Brad Walker was solid throughout the contest, winning 5-of-8 contested header attempts in the game. In the season-opening win on Friday, Walker won 9-of-10 contested header attempts. UK began keeping the contested-headers won statistic in 2008 for All-American defender Barry Rice and Walker – a 6-foot-4 junior – has exhibited tremendous skill in the air defensively and offensively, creating the necessity for the statistic to continue to be tracked.
UK totaled nine shots in the game, with sophomore Cameron Wilder leading the way with two shots and assisting, along with freshman Brendan Murphy, on the Rose game-winning goal. Wilder, a native of Kennesaw, Ga., leads the team with six shots through the first two games.
UKIT All-Tournament Team
Dylan Asher, D (Kentucky)
Jordan Rose, F (Kentucky)
Tyler Riggs, F (Kentucky)
Tyler Beadle, GK (Kentucky)
Perez Agaba, F (IUPUI)
Mason Cassady, MF (IUPUI)
Joshio Sandoval, MF (IUPUI)
Jake Hagedorn, MF (UNCA)
Connor Holzinger, MF (UNCA)
Jake Sides, D (UNCA)
EIU Representatives TBA
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