LEXINGTON, Ky. - #23 Old Dominion men’s soccer was defeated by Kentucky, 4-2 at the Bell Soccer Complex in Lexington on Friday night.
“You can’t go to Kentucky, score two goals, and not get something from the game,” said ODU Head Coach Tennant McVea. “We have to be better defensively and this week we will make that a point of focus.”
ODU’s (8-3, 0-3 SBC) Lewis Rourke returned to the starting 11 for the first time in three matches and quickly re-established himself with a goal in the fourth minute. Otu Bisong whipped a through ball to the left wing and Jason Purks collected and drove towards the top of the box. He fired and forced UK’s Benjamin Rasmussen into a low stop but the ball spilled out to Matthew Moffatt who fired low and hard to Rourke at the far post to tap in the opener.
Kentucky (1-5-3, 1-1-1 SBC) found an equalizing goal in the 22nd minute and then took the lead in the 26th minute. Bains Smith scored the first goal off an assist by Agustin Lopez and Bertil Alban netted the go-ahead goal with an assist being credited to Thomas Nielsen as the Wildcats went into halftime up 2-1.
ODU found an equalizing goal at the 73rd minute mark of the second half. David Chapman booted a ball from his own half towards the opposition's box. Jason Purks latched onto the ball and sent a cross across the box and found Purks. He fired his shot past Rasmussen and scored his sixth goal of the season to make the score 2-2.
The Wildcats were quick to respond after Michael Dessalegn brought down a UK player outside the box in the 76th. Kentucky played the ball short and eventually found Mats Brune right in front of goal to slot the ball home.
Kentucky found a fourth goal at the 80th minute mark from Lopez after he drove down the left wing and beat an ODU defender to fire above ODU’s Alexander Aguilar and into the roof of the net to make the score 4-2.
The Monarchs had three corner kick attempts to try to work themselves back into the game but the second attempt was the only one to create a shot. Otu Bisong rose for a header at the 85th minute but it was off the mark.
ODU was outshot by UK, 22-16 but the Monarchs edged the Wildcats, 8-7 in shots on target. Chapman and Dessalegn were the two Monarchs who played 90 minutes in the outfield. Rourke finished with three shots, all on target with one goal, Purks ended the night with four shots, three on target, and a goal.
Aguilar played 90 minutes in goal for the Monarchs and made three saves while Rasmussen played 90 minutes for the Wildcats and made six saves in the winning effort.
UP NEXT:
Old Dominion returns to Norfolk for a meeting with West Virginia on Friday, October 9 at 7 p.m for Championship Effort Night.