In a highly anticipated matchup, the fifth-seeded Kentucky men’s soccer team suffered a 3-0 defeat against top-seeded Marshall in the semifinal round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Marshall, who clinched the No. 1 seed after finishing first in the regular season standings, displayed their dominance in the match.
The Thundering Herd sought redemption after losing to the Wildcats just 17 days prior. With a spot in the championship at stake, both teams battled fiercely in the first half, but neither could break the scoreless deadlock. However, four minutes into the second half, Marshall’s Alvaro Garcia-Pascual changed the momentum in their favor. The junior forward stole the ball, made a brilliant run past two Wildcat defenders, and scored a clinical finish into the bottom right corner of the net.
As Kentucky continued to push for a goal, Marshall’s defense held strong and created opportunities of their own. Joao Roberto, who came on as a substitute, extended The Herd’s lead with his first goal of the season. In the closing minutes of the match, Matthew Bell added one final goal for Marshall, sealing the victory. Despite firing off 12 shots, the Wildcats were unable to find the back of the net, as Marshall goalkeeper Gabriel Perrotta made four crucial saves to secure his team’s 11th shutout of the season.
Kentucky and Marshall have a longstanding rivalry dating back to 1991 when they were both part of the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA before transitioning to the Sun Belt last year. After their regular season upset victory, which ended 2-0 in favor of Kentucky, the all-time series record stands at 22-13-5 in favor of the Wildcats.
Marshall, the top seed, will face off against third-seeded West Virginia in the Sun Belt Men’s Soccer Championship Final on Sunday, November 12. The match will take place in Huntington at 1 p.m. EST and will be live streamed on ESPN+.
Looking ahead to the championship matchup, it promises to be a thrilling showdown between two powerhouse teams. Stay tuned for more updates on Kentucky Men’s Soccer by following @UKMensSoccer on X, Facebook, Instagram, and UKAthletics.com.
