UK Soccer to Face No. 9 New Mexico in C-USA Showdown

By Jacob Most

Oct. 17, 2014 –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s soccer team will take on ninth-ranked New Mexico on Saturday at the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex in a matchup with implications atop the Conference-USA table.

The Wildcats (7-3-3; 2-0-2 C-USA) are currently in second place with eight points, while the Lobos (9-2-1; 2-1-0 C-USA) are tied for third on the league table with six points, having played one fewer game than UK. Fourth-ranked Charlotte tops the table on nine points from three games (three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss).

Kentucky is unbeaten in C-USA play this year.

The Wildcats have a three-game winning streak and are 6-1-3 over their last 10 games, with wins at No. 1 Notre Dame & at No. 21 UAB.

UK’s current five-game unbeaten streak is the team’s longest since 2010.

Over the last 10, UK has a 14-4 goal differential, and a 0.37 goals-against average.

UK and UNM are the two best statistical defenses in Conference USA and among the nation’s best. The Wildcats lead C-USA and rank fifth nationally in goals against average at 0.44.

The Lobos are second in C-USA and 14th in the nation at 0.57.

Kentucky is coming off its best offensive performance of the season, as UK exploded for five goals in a comfortable win at Evansville on Wednesday.

The match will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and UKathletics.com with Dave Baker (play-by-play) and J.D. Stephenson (color commentary) on the call.

The game has been designated a “BlewOut” as early-arriving Cats fans wearing blue will receive “Blue-Vuzelas” (blue vuvuzelas).

The first 100 Cats fans and the first 100 UK students through the Bell Soccer Complex Gates will get the Blue-Vuzelas.