Sept. 30, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky got goals from veterans Tyler Riggs and Charley Pettys and a five-save outing from goalkeeper Jack Van Arsdale in a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Memphis in the Conference USA opener for the Wildcats, on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon in front of 1,437 at the UK Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (5-4-1, 0-0-1 C-USA) allowed the Tigers to take an early first-half lead with a goal in the 17th minute. After a sluggish first half, the Wildcats responded in the second stanza with a goal from Riggs in the 64th minute and Pettys gave UK a lead in the 66th frame. Memphis evened up the game on goal in the 78th minute, before a dramatic final 10 seconds in the second overtime period.
As the seconds clicked away in the final overtime period, UK found itself with a golden-goal scoring chance. The Wildcats mounted an attack, led by Riggs, who finished the goal as time expired in the second overtime period. While UK began celebrating the dramatic, walk-off win with time expiring, the center official signaled offsides on Riggs, ending the game in a 2-2 draw.
The win does snap the Wildcats four-game winning streak, which marked their longest since the 2009 season. UK is now in the midst of a five-game unbeaten stretch, its longest since the five-game 2009 streak.
Riggs finished with a goal and an assist in the game, his sixth goal and his fourth assist of the year. A native of Louisville, Ky., Riggs now has 22 goals and nine assists in his career, good for 53 career points. He now ranks tied with senior Matt Lodge for sixth-place on the career goals listing and seventh in career assists. Pettys also added a goal and an assist, giving him eight goals and 10 career assists.
A native of Rossington, England, Lodge totaled two shots in the game to shatter the school record for shots in his career, passing Riley O’Neill (167; 2003-06) for first place all-time.
The Wildcats will return to action on Wednesday, hosting No. 8 Indiana at 7 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex.
Van Arsdale saved five shots in the game, allowing two goals. Memphis (3-4-2, 0-1-1 C-USA) keeper Conor Hurley saved three shots in the game.
Memphis took the lead in the 17th minute, as Mark Sherrod found the ball inside the box and beat the keeper with a shot at the far post. The goal was Sherrod’s fifth of the year.
UK answered in the 64th frame, as Jacob Kemper made a run down the near sideline, finding Pettys, who served it to Riggs inside the box. Riggs secured the ball inside traffic and beat the keeper with a low-lining shot. Kemper was awarded his third assist of the year.
In the 66th minute, Pettys struck for his fourth goal of the campaign to give UK a 2-1 lead. Bryan Celis made a run down the far sideline, getting the ball into the box to Riggs who was immediately swarmed by defenders. Riggs flicked it to Pettys, who found Hurley out of position inside the box. Pettys finished the goal with a low shot at the far post. Celis notched his first career assist on the goal.
Memphis forced extra time in the 78th minute, as the Tigers got a goal from Benjamin Ciosanski. On a free kick from the top of the 18-yard box the ball was deflected after the initial strike, with Ciosanski discovering the ball on the rebound and beating Van Arsdale at the far post.
GAME NOTES: Dylan Asher returned to the starting lineup after missing the last two contests with a minor injury … Senior Matt Lodge broke the UK career record for shots, passing Riley O’Neill for first place all-time with his 168th career shot attempt … The tie snaps UK’s four-game winning streak, its longest since the 2009 season … Tyler Riggs now has 22 goals and nine assists (53 points), ranking tied with Lodge for sixth-place on the UK career goal list and seventh in career points … Charley Pettys now has four goals and two assists on the year and eight goals and 10 assists in his three-year career … UK leads the all-time series with Memphis, 5-4-2, including a 2-1-3 mark in games played in Lexington.
