By Arpan Dixit

[email protected]

The UK men’s soccer team will take on Evansville at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Bell. The Cats look for their fifth straight win after defeating  New Mexico in double-overtime on the road this past Sunday, remaining undefeated in conference play. Senior goalkeeper Callum Irvin will be looking for his fifth straight clean sheet heading into the matchup with the Purple Aces.

Kentucky

 

6-2-1

Goals scored: 16

Goals allowed: 7

Average shots/game: 11.2

Average shots on goal: 5.2

Player to watch: Stefan Stojkovic

The sophomore forward has been playing his best soccer of the season during UK’s four-game winning streak, the longest of the season so far. Stojkovic leads the team in goals with four and also leads the team in points with nine.

Preview:

The Cats have been playing their best soccer of the season during the last five games and don’t intend to slow down. After starting off the season sluggish, the Cats have regained their strength and look to put away Evansville early, which have lost their last four games, scoring a total of three goals in that span. Defense has always been the calling card for a Johan Cedergren coached team, and that seems to be the case this year in Lexington. Four straight shutouts say a lot about this young UK defense as it looks to finish up the latter part of the season on a high note heading into the conference and NCAA tournaments. Defense leads to offense is a saying used widely in sports and it certainly pertains to this UK team. Four straight clean sheets and scoring 11 goals in a four-game span is a recipe leading to success. Look for the Cats to continue their dominance in conference play against Evansville.

Evansville:

 

2-7-0

Goals scored: 10

Goals allowed: 21

Average shots/game: 11.5

Average shots on goal: 4.9

Player to watch: Mark Anthony Gonzalez

The senior forward for the Purple Aces leads the team, identical to Stojkovic for the Cats, in goals with four and points with nine. Gonzalez also has the most shots taken on the team this season for Evansville, so look for him to attack early and often throughout the course of the game. The Purple Aces are desperate, so look for the senior to lead his teammates into Lexington, looking to score early and steal one at the Bell.

Preview:

The Purple Aces didn’t score a goal in their latest loss to Loyola (Chicago). Evansville have been shutout in two of their seven losses this season so the Aces must attack against a UK defense that hasn’t allowed a goal in four games coming into this matchup. With goalkeeper and captain Callum Irving in the net for the Cats, the Aces will have trouble getting the ball into the box and get a clean shot at the goal. With the way UK’s defense has frustrated opponents over the last two weeks has shown what Johan Cedergren wants out of his guys, to never give up on a play no matter what the scoreboard says. Evansville will try to get that first win in five games relying on their seniors to lead them. Although it will be a tough task to come into a place where the Cats haven’t been defeated this year, look for the Purple Aces to give 110 percent and steal one on Wednesday.