LEXINGTON, Ky. – Seventh-ranked Kentucky will welcome East Tennessee State to The Bell on Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. ET non-conference interlude.
The match will be streamed live on SEC Network+/WatchESPN.
The setup
The Wildcats, with a won-lost-drawn record of 6-0-1 (2-0-0 Conference USA), are off to the best start through seven matches in varsity program history.
Kentucky is ranked No. 4 in the first edition of the NCAA Rating Percentage Index, No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, and No. 6 by College Soccer News this week.
The opponent
ETSU is led by first-year Head Coach David Casper, who spent the past six years on Johan Cedergren’s staff at UK.
The Buccaneers arrive in Lexington with a 4-4-0 record this season. They have won four of their last five games including two straight road victories at Lipscomb and Georgia Southern.
The deeper look at UK
Kentucky has allowed just two goals this year – both in last Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime win at Lipscomb.
UK has kept clean sheets in six of seven matches so far. With that, sophomore goalkeeper Enrique Facusse has a .275 goals-against average, fourth best in the nation.
The sophomore has kept clean sheets in more than half – 13 – of the 25 matches he’s started over the past two years.
Sophomore center back Aimé Mabika was named C-USA Player of the Week on Monday.
JJ Williams leads Kentucky with five goals this year, including three game winners. Mabika and Kalil ElMedkhar have two goals apiece.
The history
UK leads the all-time series 4-2, including two-straight overtime victories. They two sides have played every year since 2012.
The logistics
Gates will open at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday’s match promotion is the ‘BBN’ bang-a-banner giveaway.
Tickets are $8 for the public and $5 for youth and seniors. Wildcat supporters five-years-old and under get in for free.
Fans can purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster or by calling (800) 928-2287, or at the ticket window at The Bell.
Kentucky Athletics is excited to continue ticket scanning at The Bell this season. Season ticket holders can use their provided digital bar codes on their mobile device to gain entry. The easiest way to manage mobile tickets is through the UK Athletics App.
Season ticket holders still receive a 2018 Kentucky Soccer scarf as a gift for their season ticket purchase (based on availability). Season tickets are still available for $42 through UKAthletics.com/tickets.
Season ticket holders can pick up their scarves at the marketing gazebo on match day.
Parking for the match is first come first served located outside the stadium’s main entrance and in the Kroger Field blue and green lots with continuous shuttle service running from car parks up to the front gates of The Bell beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The shuttle will continue until one hour after the match.
Students may ride a campus shuttle to and from the match, which begins running one hour prior to kickoff and includes stops at The 90 and the wildcat statue on north campus.
UK players will sign autographs on the side of the pitch following the match weather permitting, and at publication time inclement weather is very much in play.
The look beyond Wednesday
The Wildcats will return to C-USA play Saturday for what’s ironically colloquially known as the “Southeastern Conference Men’s Soccer Championship” against South Carolina.
UK and USC are the only two SEC schools that sponsor varsity men’s soccer so they both compete in C-USA as “affiliate members.”
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For the latest on the Kentucky men’s soccer team, follow @UKMensSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
