By Brendan Hill

sports@kykernel.com

UK pulled out the win with a late goal in a tough game against the University of Alabama Birmingham 1-0. The win kept UK undefeated in Conference USA play and got the Cats back on a winning streak after its tie against Old Dominion this past Saturday.

The game was back and forth the entire 90 minutes, but was very slow paced with 24 combined fouls and 15 combined corner kicks. Both teams had plenty of opportunities and did it by slowing the game down and taking good shots toward the goal.

Sam Miller scored his second goal of the season and the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute on an assist by Napo Matsoso.

“I was in the right spot at the right time and Napo just kept fighting through the defenders and the goalie, then it popped out to me some how,” Sam Miller said.

That is how the game went with a lot of fighting for balls and trying to get opportunities, which led to UK finally getting a ball to fall in the right spot in the 83rd minute of the game. The spot the ball fell in was the back of the net, and was the game-winning goal for the Cats.

“Everyone worked hard. You know it wasn’t the best play-wise, but we battled and did what we needed to do defensively to get the win” said Charlie Reymann. “They are a good team and battle for everything, Charlotte is the same way in our upcoming game.”

The good defensive play led to another clean sheet by goalkeeper Callum Irving, giving him his third in a row and eighth on the season. UK’s defense has had solid year led by junior defenseman Charlie Reymann, who had another solid game helping lead UK to the win in Wednesday night’s thriller against UAB.

“The result was great for the team,” Reymann said. “We knew we had to get a win tonight. Everyone worked hard. It wasn’t the best playing-wise, but we battled and did what we needed to do defensively and took care of business. Having Sam putting that goal away for us was big-time.”

The No.16 UK men’s soccer team is 9-3-2 and 5-0-1 in C-USA play.

The Cats will look to stay undefeated in C-USA play against the Charlotte 49ers (8-4-2, 5-0-1 in C-USA), who is currently tied with UK for first palce in the conferenec, as regular season play is quickly coming to an end.

After traveling to Charlotte on Saturday, the team will return home for its final two games against Detroit and FIU.

The C-USA men’s soccer tournament kicks off Nov. 11 in Charlotte, N.C.