Wildcats Fall 4-1 at No. 17 Marshall
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Kentucky Wildcats (6-1-3, 3-1-0 SBC) drop a 4-1 result against the No. 17 Marshall Thundering Herd (5-1-4, 3-1-0 SBC) in a top 20 matchup in Huntington, W.Va. Friday night.
The loss to the 17th-ranked Thundering Herd is the Wildcats’ first loss of the 2025 season, moving their overall record to 6-1-3 and 3-1-0 in Sun Belt Conference play.
For just the third time this season, the Wildcats conceded the opening goal in the 7th minute from a Marshall corner kick by Alvaro Alvarez and scored by Gabriel Stevanato, putting Kentucky on the backfoot early in the first half.
The Cats were outshot 7-1 by the Thundering Herd in the first 45 minutes, with graduate defender Owen Mikoy registering the lone Wildcat shot coming off a headed attempt from an Alex Ruiz corner.
Marshall would double their lead on the brink of the halftime whistle in the 42nd minute with a goal by Keaviano Francis, his second of the season. Kentucky would face thier first halftime deficit of the season, as the Thundering Herd controlled a 2-0 advantage heading into the intermission.
After the break, junior Isaiah Chisolm was issued a red card just seven seconds into the second half, the first time the Wildcats have been down to 10 men this season. Marshall would add its third goal of the night in the 48th minute, with a goal by Takahiro Fujita.
Sophomore Joaquin Brizuela would get one back for the Cats late in the half with his third goal of the season in the 83rd minute, with a headed goal coming off an Eric Onos corner kick, his first appearance for Kentucky in 2025.
The Thundering Herd would tack on one more goal in the dying moments of the game, extending their lead to 4-1 to secure their third conference win of the season to match Kentucky on nine points in the SBC table.
The Wildcats will return to Lexington on Tuesday, Oct. 14 to face the 20th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers for their non-conference finale at The Bell at 7 p.m. ET.
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