Cats to Visit Rival Louisville in Top-15 Showdown
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After opening the season with a high-octane 3-2 win over UAlbany last Friday at Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex, the Kentucky Wildcats will travel approximately 80 miles down Interstate 64 to take on the Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium.
The Cats enter Tuesday ranked No. 8 in the 2019 United Soccer Coaches Preseason National Rankings and No. 2 in College Soccer News’ latest Top 30 National Poll, while the Cards check in at No. 14 and No. 15, respectively.
Kentucky received an offensive outburst from 2019 Conference USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Aimé Mabika last Friday by way of the first brace of his career.
The 6-foot-6 former Henry Clay High School standout scored the fifth and sixth penalty kicks of his career in as many attempts, while C-USA Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year Jason Reyes recorded the game winner in the 77th minute. Both Kalil ElMedkhar and Daniel Evans were credited with an assist to Reyes.
Louisville enters Tuesday coming off a 2-2 finish in a double-overtime contest with Cleveland State last week. The match marked the first contest under the helm of head coach and Louisville native John Michael Hayden, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant under Ken Lolla.
Last season, Kentucky defeated Louisville 3-0 in Lexington. Mabika connect on the final goal with a penalty kick in the 73rd minute after eventual 18th pick in the MLS SuperDraft JJ Williams netted the first two. UK leads the all-time series 15-13-5, including 10-3-3 on the road.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s soccer team, follow @UKMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
