ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Despite freshman Ellis Vienne’s goal with 46 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime, Michigan freshman Soony Saad completed the hat trick with his third goal of the night, coming as the golden goal in the 93rd minute, lifting U-M to a dramatic 3-2 win over the Kentucky men’s soccer team, on Wednesday night at U-M Soccer Stadium.
Vienne, a native of Cornelius, N.C., delivered on his first career goal with just 46 seconds left in regulation, pushing the game to overtime. The goal was Vienne’s first career tally and evened up the game at 2-2. Senior Drew Midkiff’s corner kick was met in a heavily trafficked box and flipped to the far post, where Vienne headed it in for the equalizer. The assist for Midkiff was the first of the year and the second of his two-year UK career.
After Michigan’s Saad had scored just four minutes into the game, the Wildcats got a goal from freshman Tyler Riggs 36 seconds into the second half, evening the game. Riggs, a native of Louisville, Ky., was found by fellow freshman Sam Brooks for the game-tying goal, the second career goal for Riggs and the first career assist for Brooks, a native of Solihull, England.
U-M’s Saad, a native of Dearborn, Mich., gave the Wolverines the lead with his second goal of the game in the 75th frame, before Vienne’s heroics in the last minute.
In the 93rd frame of the golden-goal overtime period, Saad struck for his third goal of the game on a headed shot from Justin Merman. Merman and Adam Shaw assisted on Saad’s first goal of the game in the fourth minute. Saad’s second tally of the game came in the 75th minute, as his free kick from 18 yards out was deflected in the goal. In just eight career games, Saad has netted a staggering seven goals. Overall, Saad fired six shots in the game with Merman totaling four efforts.
Michigan (4-1-3) entered the game averaging over 22 shots per game and the Wolverines totaled 18 shots and eight corner kicks in the match with Kentucky. Michigan goalkeeper Chris Blais finished with three saves in the contest.
The Wildcats charted 16 total shots and seven corner kicks in the game, while UK freshman keeper Tyler Beadle posted a career-high five saves. UK played 20 total players in the game, with 12 players playing in their first career seasons at Kentucky. Six Wildcat newcomers started in the game, including five freshmen in UK’s starting 11.
The game was UK’s fourth overtime game in the first seven contests of the 2010 season and the third extra-period loss for the Wildcats on the year. UK suffered a 1-0 overtime loss to Loyola Marymount on Sept. 10 and tied Houston Baptist in double overtime on Sept. 12, before falling to Iona last Sunday, 2-1 in overtime.
Kentucky (2-4-1) returns to action on Sunday, traveling to Evansville for a 2 p.m. ET matchup with the Purple Aces.
