TULSA, Okla. — Fresh off a crucial Conference USA win over FIU on Sunday, the Kentucky men’s soccer team returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to face No. 17 Tulsa, the defending league champion, with kickoff slated for 8 p.m. ET at the Hurricane Track and Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (5-6-4, 2-1-1 C-USA) posted a 1-0 win over FIU on Sunday, remaining in the hunt for the conference tournament, hosted by the University of Memphis. The Wildcats sit in fourth place in the standings with eight points, with the league taking the top six teams to the tournament. UK has three league matches remaining, facing Tulsa, No. 5 SMU and South Carolina, ranked as high as No. 17 last week.
The Wildcats have been led offensively by freshman Tyler Riggs, who owns a team-best four goals. Sophomore Matt Lodge has three goals and two assists, while junior college transfer Sam Brooks has three goals and one assist. Jordan Rose leads the team with three assists, while senior Drew Midkiff has added two assists.
In goal, freshman Tyler Beadle has logged every second in between the pipes, totaling a 1.11 goals-against average with 53 saves in 15 games. Beadle, a native of Douglasville, Ga., was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Fans can follow along with the action on UKathletics.com, courtesy of live stats and a live interactive blog from the Hurricane Track and Soccer Complex.
Tulsa (8-4-1, 2-2-1 C-USA) enters the game just behind the Wildcats in the league standings, needing to post wins in order to clinch a berth in the tournament. The Golden Hurricane has totaled 1.92 goals per game and a total of 17 shots per game. TU, the preseason pick to win the conference, is coming off a 1-0 double-overtime win at UAB on Saturday, also owning a league win over Memphis.
Ashley McInnes leads TU with six goals and four assists, while Austin Neil has added a team-best eight goals in 13 games. Corey Albertson leads the team with three assists, adding two goals. In goal, Ray Clark has played in nine games, while Michael Murray has played in four. Murray has totaled a 1.14 goals-against average, while Clark owns a 1.31 goals-against average with two shutouts.
