Sept. 29, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. — No. 14 UAB used a pair of goals in the first half and despite a goal from Kentucky senior Brad Doliner late in the game, the Blazers posted a 2-1 win over UK in the Conference USA opener for the Wildcats, on a pleasant Sunday afternoon at the UK Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (2-5, 0-1-0 C-USA) suffered the defeated despite leading the Blazers in shots (19-5) and corner kicks (14-1). UK’s 14-corner kick output was the third-most in UK single-game history, just shy of the record of 17 corners set in 2006 and the most since UK had 14 corners in 2011 against Wright State. UK has won the battle for shots in six games and corners in all seven games in 2013.
UAB (6-1-1, 1-0-1 C-USA) utilized its league-leading offensive and defensive attack to post the win, getting goals in the third and 30th minutes. The Blazers are off to a blistering pace to the 2013 campaign, getting 19 goals in their first 20 games and surrendering just three tallies. UAB has wins over No. 24 VCU (4-0), defending NCAA Champion, No. 8 Indiana (2-1), and a draw with No. 12 Charlotte (0-0).
Kentucky got its goal with seven seconds remaining in regulation, as UK forced a penalty kick chance for Doliner, who fired his second goal of the year with a hard-hit strike.
UK sophomore goalkeeper Callum Irving saved two shots in his 90 minutes, with UAB keeper Raphael Ville notching a pair of saves, with the team getting two more.
Kentucky will return to action with its first road league game at Old Dominion on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
UAB got on the board in the third minute, as the Blazers had a run down the far sideline, beating the backline to the ball. Freddy Ruiz found it inside the 18-yard box and fired a shot that forced a save from Irving. With Irving scrambling to his feet, Alex Clay scooped up the rebounded ball and fired home his second goal of the year.
The Blazers added to their lead in the 30th minute, as Patrick Huang lofted a corner kick from the near sideline into the six-yard box. Ian Svantesson, a 6-foot-5 sophomore defender, headed in the ball at the near post after the ball was deflected around the goal mouth. It marked Svantesson’s second goal of 2013.
GAME NOTES: After missing the last four games due to injury, sophomore Kristoffer Tollefsen returned to the starting lineup … Senior Tyler Riggs was UK’s first sub of the game … UK held a 9-4 advantage in shots and an 8-1 advantage in corners at halftime … Senior Brad Doliner netted his second goal of the year and his career … Doliner’s goal came on a penalty kick, UK’s first PK goal of the year in its second chance … UK fired 14 corner kicks, the third-most in single-game history … It marked UK’s first 14-corner game since Sept. 2, 2011 vs. Wright State … UK has outshot its opponents in seven of eight games and had more corners in all eight games in 2013 … The all-time series history with UAB is now tied, 5-5-1, with the Blazers owning a 3-2 advantage in games played in Lexington.
