Sept. 11, 2011
BERKELEY, Calif. — After a scoreless first half, the No. 15 Kentucky men’s soccer erupted for two goals behind Sam Brooks and Tyler Riggs, but No. 13 Cal netted the go-ahead goal in the 72nd meeting, lifting the Bears to a 3-2 win over the Wildcats, on a gorgeous but windy Sunday afternoon at Edwards Stadium at Goldman Field.
Kentucky (4-2-1) mounted a furious rally in the second half after falling behind by a goal early in the second frame. The Wildcats continued their potent offensive attack through the first six games, as UK entered the weekend leading Conference USA in shots and corner kicks.
UK fired nine total shots in the game, as Brooks netted his first goal of the year and Riggs his team-high fifth of the season. UK All-America forward Matt Lodge added his third assist of the year, while Charles Petty, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., contributed his team-leading fourth assist.
Despite allowing the three goals, UK sophomore keeper Tyler Beadle collected a season-high seven saves, while Cal (1-3-2) keeper Robby Gogatz tallied four saves.
Kentucky returns to action next weekend at the Gamecock Classic, traveling to face Brown and High Point in Columbia, S.C., hosted by South Carolina.
UK was led offensively by Lodge, who had three shots, while Josh Mulvany and Riggs each had two shots. Josh McCrary and Brooks each charted an effort in the game, with Brooks going as a game-tying goal.
Cal got on the board in the 51st minute, as Seth Casiple lofted a cross into the box for Kyle Lunt, who netted it past Beadle for the first goal of the game.
The Wildcats answered just minutes later as Marco Bordon made a gorgeous run down the near sideline, lofting a cross that was headed out on the end line for a cross. Pettys lofted the cross up the air at the far post, with a leaping Brooks connecting on a hard-hit header for his first goal of the season and Pettys’ team-high fourth assist of the year.
UK immediately took the lead on some more great passing, as Lodge had a run into traffic down the near sideline, sending a low-liner to a wide open Riggs in the middle of the pitch. Riggs beat the keeper one-on-one with a hard-hit shot at the far post for his fifth goal of the year.
Cal answered with a goal in the 62nd, as Casiple hit a long shot into the near post from the corner of the 18-yard box, past a diving Beadle.
The Bears took the lead in the 72nd, as Casiple lofted a cross into the box at the far post and found Kyle Marsh for a header goal, sending it screaming past a leaping Beadle.
