Men’s soccer defeats no. 2 ranked Indiana in front of record crowd
Sophomore goalkeeper Enrique Facusse (24) celebrates with fans after winning against IU. University of Kentucky No. 4 men’s soccer team defeated No. 2 Indiana University 3-0 to remain undefeated on the season on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Michael Clubb | Staff
October 3, 2018
On Wednesday night, 3,503 fans watched the UK men’s soccer team play under a picturesque sunset. The fourth-ranked Cats upset the second-ranked Indiana Hoosiers, 3-0, in front of the highest-ever attendance at The Bell.
J.J. Williams stepped up for the Cats like he has throughout this season. He scored in the third minute after fellow forward Jason Reyes got the ball and set it up for Williams in the outer box. Williams, unattended, smashed a quick shot to the left for his eighth goal this season.
Reyes also had his own goal. In the 84th minute, Williams received a deflection off of the crossbar. He then swung the ball over to Reyes who finished off the rebound for the score.
Williams had some more fun in garbage time. Three minutes after Reyes scored, Williams had no one in front of him other than Hoosiers’ keeper Trey Muse, and he kicked the ball in Muse’s opposite direction. Williams now leads the C-USA in most goals scored this season with nine.
“My team puts me in a great position to be successful,” Williams said. “It just happens game in and game out.”
Reyes also scored after he finished off an assist from Williams in the 84th minute. Williams received a deflection off of the crossbar, and then swung the ball over to Reyes who finished off the rebound for the score.
UK extends its best-ever start in program history at 9-0-1 (3-0 C-USA). Wednesday’s win against Indiana is UK’s first win against the Hoosiers since 1995 and its second-ever win against Indiana. The Cats were 1-25-3 against Indiana all-time coming into Wednesday’s match. UK’s win ended Indiana’s nine-game win streak this season.
Indiana outshot UK in the game 13-12. However, the Cats had a 5-4 advantage with shots on goal. UK doubled its first half shooting production in the second half. The Cats had four shots in the first half and eight in the second.
“This is a system that we changed a little bit. We try to be higher up the field pressing,” UK head coach Johan Cedergren said. “It’s not rocket science, but you just got to get the guys to execute.”
On the other side of the ball, UK’s defensive back four contained and pressed the Hoosiers’ offense. Led by team captain Tanner Hummel, the third-ranked defense preserve its eighth clean sheet in 10 games this season.
Aimé Mabika, a two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week this season, made diving stops in UK territory to keep Indiana in check. Cats’ goalkeeper Enrique Facusse contributed to the effort with four saves in the game, including two critical saves in the 62nd and 81st minutes.
The Cats will head down south to Miami to take on conference rival Florida International University. Despite being 4-5-0 this season, FIU is undefeated in C-USA play at 3-0.
“We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got to stay hungry. We have to want more. We can’t lose,” Williams said.
