Oct. 3, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. — In the fifth minute, the Kentucky men’s soccer team got the club-best third goal of the year from senior Justin Laird, but Old Dominion got the equalizer in the second half and the two teams played to a 1-1, double-overtime draw, on a pleasant Friday night at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.
Kentucky (4-3-3, 0-0-2 Conference USA) earned its second consecutive point to open conference play, getting the team-leading third goal of the year from Laird, coming in the fifth minute. After Kentucky had the run of play through the first half, ODU struck for the equalizer in the 66th minute, playing a strong opening 20 minutes of the second half, before UK mounted a second-half charge.
“The first half for us was probably the best half we’ve played since I’ve been here,” third-year head coach Johan Cedergren said. “I thought we were all mobile, very aggressive pressing and winning tackles. Then when we had the opportunity to play, the ball was zipping around that field just how I want us to play.
“In the second half we knew ODU would come out a little more fired up to try to get at us. I tried to get the guys ready for that, but the first 15 minutes of the second half we were not up for the battles, we didn’t worry about the second balls and it took us a while to get back into it. But overall I thought it was a good performance against a very good team.”
UK’s flurry of offensive activity in the second half included a 6-1 margin in corner kicks, forcing five second-half saves and two saves in the second overtime period. UK finished with a 12-9 advantage in shots and a 7-5 mark in corner kicks.
Irving, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, finished with three saves, with the goal allowed the only serious chance surrendered by the dynamic UK backline. Irving lowered his goals-against average to 0.47 and has now allowed just five goals in 10 games, saving 31 shots.
UK’s defensive effort in front of Irving has been spearheaded by a talented back four, featuring outside backs Charlie Reymann and Matt Quick, and center backs Jordan Wilson and Kaelon Fox, with holding midfielders Kristoffer Tollefsen and Paul Sime often chipping in.
Old Dominion (4-3-1, 0-0-1 C-USA) keeper Alex Tiesenhausen finished with seven saves, keeping the Monarchs in the game throughout a heroic second half.
The Wildcats got on the board first in the fifth minute, with the goal from Laird on an assist from Charlie Reymann. On a Bryan Celis run down the near sideline, the ball was played into the box amongst traffic for Reymann. Reymann dribbled to the by-line and squared it back to Laird by the near post, with Laird flipping the goal through the charging keeper for his team-leading third goal of the year. Laird now has four goals in his two-year career, and has scored two of them vs. ODU.
UK did miss a solid chance on 38 minutes as freshman Stefan Stojkovic masterfully controlled a ball on his chest to turn in the box, but his attempt to loop it over the keep was high.
ODU started the second half on the front foot, and finally found the equalizer on 66 minutes. Cole Stringer’s looping header eluded Irving’s outstretched arm after a ball in by Christian Schroeer.
Kentucky will return to action on Wednesday, traveling to face No. 21 UAB in Birmingham, Ala., with kickoff slated for 8 p.m. ET.
