Sept. 19, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky men’s soccer team will continue a grueling start to the 2013 season with a pair of games at the Gamecock Classic, hosted by South Carolina, starting with a 4:30 p.m. ET showdown with Dartmouth on Friday at Eugene Stone Stadium. UK will then face South Florida at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Kentucky (2-2) is coming off a 2-1 loss at Xavier on Saturday night, in a rematch of the first-round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. UK allowed a goal in the third-minute, before evening up the game late in the first half on freshman Kaelon Fox’s first career goal.
The Wildcats will be facing Dartmouth and South Florida in the Gamecock Classic, UK’s fourth consecutive year traveling to the event hosted by South Carolina. UK last won the event with wins over High Point and Brown in 2011, highlighted by a 5-1 result over Brown.
UK has been led offensively in its first four games by sophomore midfielder Isak Krogstad, who has two goals and two assists. Fox, senior Brad Doliner and freshman Charlie Reymann each have a goal and an assist. Freshman Napo Matsoso has a goal, with freshman Sam Miller adding two assists and sophomores Bryan Celis and Jacob Scearce charting two assists. In goal, sophomore Callum Irving has a pair of shutouts in his two starts, with senior Jack Van Arsdale owning four saves and a 1.50 goals-against average in his two starts.
The meeting with Dartmouth will mark UK head coach Johan Cedergren’s first matchup with his former school. Cedergren, a native of Solvesborg, Sweden, helped lead the Big Green to five consecutive NCAA Tournaments in his time as the associate head coach from 2007-11. In Cedergren’s first year with the Wildcats in 2012, he directed UK to its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2003.
Dartmouth (2-0-2) has built one of the top programs in the Ivy League and is off to an unbeaten start to 2013. The Big Green have wins over Boston College and Massachusetts, with draws vs. Holy Cross and Lafayette. On Sunday, Dartmouth posted a 2-0 win over UMASS.
The Big Green have netted six goals and allowed three in their first four games, splitting time with two goalkeepers. Stefan Cleveland has allowed one goal and saved 13 in two starts, with James Hickok saving eight and allowing two goals in his two starts. Individually, Dartmouth has been led by two goals from Alex Adelabu and Robin Alnas, with Colin Heffron leading the team with three assists. Alexander Marsh and Justin Rosner have each recorded goals.
South Florida (1-1-2) is coming off a 2-0 loss vs. Wisconsin last Thursday. The Bulls have a win over Stetson, with ties vs. Florida Gulf Coast and Michigan. USC has netted four goals in four games, surrendering five tallies. In goal, Brentton Muhammad has played in three games with nine saves and three goals allowed, with Dallas Jaye saving two and allowing two goals in one game. Individually, Samuel Hosseini, Kennedy Adablah, Stiven Salinas and Edwin Moalosi have netted USF goals.
