No. 25 Kentucky men’s soccer (9-2-3, 6-1 SBC) notched an impressive 1-0 victory against No. 10 West Virginia (10-3-2, 5-2 SBC).
With both teams coming into the game in a three-way tie for first in the Sun Belt Conference with Marshall, a win proved vital for either team.
Now, after the Wildcats’ victory and Marshall’s game against Old Dominion ended in a draw, Kentucky holds sole possession of first in the conference.
Kentucky also enjoys the longest win streak in the Sun Belt with three, and with only two games remaining on the schedule, winning out would guarantee the Cats a first-place finish in the conference.
The Wildcats have yet to lose a game to West Virginia in Lexington, now boasting a record of 4-0-0. There may be something about the home atmosphere, as six of Kentucky’s nine wins have come in the Bluegrass.
“Of course, Lexington is our house. So every time we play here, we try to win. So very grateful for the fans we have,” Kentucky midfielder Alex Ruiz said.
Ruiz has had a great statistical season, leading the team in goals scored, including one that found the back of the net against the Mountaineers, which proved to be the game-winner.
Defense was the name of the game for the entirety of the match, and to those who keep up with West Virginia, this may come as less of a surprise. The Mountaineers have allowed three or fewer shots on goal a staggering 73 times since 2017, and this game was no different, allowing Kentucky to have only two shots on goal.
So, despite posting more shots, corners and fewer fouls than Kentucky, West Virginia still could not finish the job. An explanation may be found in Kentucky’s second-half heroics that have been going on all season.
When rummaging through the stats, Kentucky’s second-half production jumps out. It seems almost otherworldly that this amount of fluctuation could occur.
Coming into this game, the number of shots taken by Kentucky went up after the half, along with the number of goals, saves and corners. Even the number of fouls and offsides committed went down after the break. In fact, it becomes almost impossible to find a single stat in which Kentucky fails to improve in the second half.
The difference in numbers between halves is not close either. Coming into the rivalry game, Kentucky had posted 68 shots in the first half and an imposing 102 in the second. Following that discrepancy in shots, goals have followed, as the Wildcats have notched eight in the first half and 15 in the second.
This trend didn’t slow for the game against West Virginia either, with every stat previously listed improving after the break except fouls, which gave Kentucky a steady seven each half. Even the lone goal of the match, scored by Ruiz in the 72nd minute, came in the second half.
“To be honest, that’s the coaching job. Of course, at halftime, the coaching staff tries to help us as much as possible. Yeah, they really help us to improve our weaknesses,” Ruiz said.
Whatever clicks into the minds of the team has proven crucial all season, and if the Wildcats can sustain this level of play in the second half, they may prove formidable down the stretch.
With just two games remaining on the schedule in the tightly packed Sun Belt standings, Kentucky looks to its next game against Georgia State on Halloween at The Bell. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPN+.
