DAYTON, Ohio — The No. 10 Kentucky men’s soccer team jumped Dayton early with two goals in the first frame, holding on to defeat the Flyers 3-1 Wednesday night at Baujan Field.
Kentucky improved to 6-0-2 overall this season. Through eight matches, the Wildcats have scored 14 goals while only allowing three from opponents.
Graduate-student defender Lucca Rodrigues used his left boot to strike a ball in the bottom-left corner of the goal just 13 minutes into the contest for his first goal in a Kentucky uniform, giving the Wildcats the early advantage.
Only four minutes later, graduate student Luke Andrews netted his third goal of the season. A cross by sophomore Enzo Mauriz sent the ball eight yards from the keeper’s line, where Andrews used his right foot to give Kentucky a 2-0 advantage.
The first-half lead was Kentucky’s largest of the season heading into the break. The Wildcats concluded the first period firing off nine shots to Dayton’s one.
Dayton kept the ball in Kentucky territory for most of the second half. Andy Sanchez sent a corner kick to the head of Eren Elbustu in the 71st minute, putting the Flyers on the board with a 2-1 deficit with 19 minutes left in the contest.
Despite the added effort by the Flyers in the second half, Mauriz sent a ball into the Dayton box ahead of fellow sophomore Ben Damage, who beat out two Flyer defenders and goalkeeper Marc Kouadio with his right foot to pad the Wildcats’ lead in the 76th minute. The shot on target was Kentucky’s first of the second half, giving Mauriz his second assist of the night.
Kentucky goalkeeper Ryan Troutman got his second appearance between the posts. In his first appearance of the season, the Wildcats achieved a similar result at home, defeating Atlantic 10 foe Duquesne 3-1.
The Wildcats will return to Lexington to take on Conference USA foe UAB (2-6) this Sunday at 6 p.m. ET at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.
