LEXINGTON, Ky. — Despite collecting its third clean sheet in the first four games of the 2010 season, the Kentucky men’s soccer team and Houston Baptist battled through two overtimes in a 0-0 draw, on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the UK Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (2-1-1) has now allowed only one goal in the last 411 minutes played, dating back to a goal allowed at Tulsa in the 2009 season finale. UK allowed its only goal of the season in a Friday-night overtime loss to Loyola Marymount, allowing a Lions goal just 20 seconds into the overtime period. Butler, a 2009 NCAA second round team, won the Wildcat Invitational Tournament, with a 5-1 win over Houston Baptist on Friday night and a 3-1 win over Loyola Marymount on Sunday afternoon. LMU finished second in the tournament, while UK and HBU finish tied for third.
The Wildcats got another outstanding performance from its freshman goalkeeper, Tyler Beadle, who worked his third shutout in his first four collegiate games. Beadle, the reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, saved three shots in the 110 minutes and now owns a 0.24 goals-against average through his first four games.
Kentucky had a chance to win the game outright in the first overtime period, as UK was awarded a penalty kick after a foul in the box. The Wildcats turned to 2009 leading scorer and freshman All-America selection Matt Lodge for the kick, but his shot was saved in a diving attempt by HBU keeper Chris Dodd.
The missed penalty-kick attempt was the first missed attempt for a UK player since the Wildcats were stone in penalties during the 2008 C-USA Championship game in Dallas, Texas, against Tulsa. Last year, UK was 2-for-2 in penalty attempts. While UK missed a pair of penalties in the league championship game in 2008, the Wildcats had not missed a penalty-kick attempt in the regular season in over six seasons.
UK outshot HBU, 18-8, firing a total of seven shots on goal, while Houston Baptist fired three shots on target. UK also led in corner kicks, 9-4, with HBU leading the foul count, 15-13.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday, traveling to Columbia, S.C., to participate in the Gamecock Classic. UK will face Connecticut on Friday at 5 p.m. ET and Iona on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
UK was led by English freshman Craig Heard and freshman Alex Clay with three shot attempts in the contest. Lodge, Josh Albers and Jacob Kemper each fired two shots, while Dylan Asher, Brad Walker, Tyler Riggs, Charles Pettys, Shaun Deliberato and Drew Midkiff each charted one shot.
UK had two good chances to score, besides the penalty-kick attempt, in the game. Riggs, a native of Louisville, Ky., had a great look inside the box in the seventh minute, firing a low-lining shot that just missed wide. In the 39th minute, Kemper had a hard-hit shot, forcing a save.
Wildcat Invitational All-Tournament Team
Ben Sippola, Butler
Fabian Knopler, Butler
Ade Oleyedon, Butler
Kyle Pateros, Butler
Rafael Baca, LMU
David Ponce, LMU
Roger Downes, LMU
Chris Dodd, Houston Baptist
Duke Ogega, Houston Baptist
UK Representatives TBA
