LEXINGTON, KY. — The opportunity to tie the game was right in front of the goal line, twice.
In the 38th minute, sophomore Spencer Glass was on the left side of the box and sent in a cross to the right. It went underneath the Kentucky keeper and was there for a Hoosier to hit it. The ball felt like it froze there for a second before a Kentucky player deflected it out.
A similar situation happened in the 82nd minute when sophomore Griffin Dorsey got free down the right side, into the box and sent in a cross that left sophomore Justin Rennicks with a clear shot at goal, until a Kentucky defender deflected it out.
That led to a corner, where senior Timmy Mehl came flying in and headed it just above the top right corner.
All three chances could've tied the game after Kentucky struck in the third minute off a defensive lapse — the first goal IU has given up in the first half of a game this season. After all that, Kentucky struck again, and again.
The final score read 3-0, which is the worst loss IU has suffered in almost exactly two years since a 4-0 loss at Notre Dame on Oct. 4, 2016. The loss also ended IU’s nine-game winning streak.
Everything that could’ve gone wrong for the Hoosiers did, but this is not the end for the Hoosiers.
Kentucky broke its attendance record for the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex, which the Wildcats call “The Bell," with 3,503 fans. Blue vuvuzelas echoed throughout the night, some students yelled “blue” while others yelled “white.” Students also screamed “Trey sucks” at sophomore goalkeeper Trey Muse — and since students were positioned behind both goals, Muse had to endure that for both halves.
Kentucky’s standout forward JJ Williams put on a show. Coming into the game, Williams had seven goals. Now, he has nine goals and one more assist. After his last goal to make it 3-0, the students began chanting “MVP, MVP, MVP” at the 6-foot-5-inch striker.
The Wildcats’ 6-foot-6-inch defender, Aime Mabika, acted like an absolute wall in the backline. He bodied any Hoosier that crossed his path, and if a ball was sent his way in the air, it was foolish to attempt to rise against him.
Williams and Mabika are the two big reasons IU was shut out for the first time this season, and the team gave up three or more goals for the first time since that 2016 matchup with Notre Dame.
There were questions surrounding Kentucky's legitimacy after playing a weak schedule so far this season, but the Wildcats silenced those critics Wednesday night. They are legitimate and will be a threat come tournament time.
On the other hand, there were no questions surrounding IU's talent. The Hoosiers have already played five other top-25 teams and went 4-1 in those games. Of the six now played, this was the fourth on the road. There still shouldn’t be any questions surrounding IU's legitimacy.
As Coach Todd Yeagley said after the game, there’s always an off game somewhere every year. Wednesday night was IU’s off game.
It’s not about the missed chances or the poor play of Wednesday’s game anymore. It’s about how IU rebounds.
The rebound won’t be easy, though, with another road game against another top-25 opponent Sunday. The Hoosiers will return to conference play to take on the No. 14-ranked Michigan Wolverines, who are 8-1-1.
“We got to get this one behind us fast,” Yeagley said. “I’m not worried about this group. They’ve been in some battles and have some disappointment at different times. There’s a no bigger game than Michigan on the road. It will be another tough matchup.”
Yeagley said you can’t let the little things slip away in games like these, so Michigan will be about paying attention to detail and being sharper to bounce back and get the job done.
