Over 350 days ago, then-No.14 Indiana men’s soccer pulled off a 79th-minute victory over the University of Kentucky in Lexington. The Hoosiers and Wildcats both advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season — though both teams bowed out by the second round.
Indiana and Kentucky now prepare for another October showdown, yet the two programs are trending in much different directions.
The No. 2-ranked Cream and Crimson still don’t have a loss on their record, continuing their unbeaten run with a 3-1 win over No. 6 Maryland on Friday. Junior forward Stephane Njike showcased another acrobatic display of flips after scoring Indiana’s third goal of the game against the Terrapins.
The win propelled the Hoosiers to their ninth win out of 11 games this season. Indiana is also in pole position in the Big Ten standings, holding a 4-0-1 conference record with 13 points. The next closest is Washington, which trails 10 points behind.
Kentucky is 1-5-3 this season. Under head coach Johan Cedergren, the Wildcats have been a perennial NCAA Tournament program, earning a bid in seven of the last eight seasons.
The Wildcats finally found their winning ways
Kentucky won its first game of the season Friday, taking down No. 23 Old Dominion University 4-2. It was the first time Cedergren’s team scored more than two goals in a match this season. Four different Wildcats scored in the victory.
Freshman forward Costa Iliadis and junior midfielder Michael Lee lead Kentucky with two goals each. The 20-year-old Iliadis committed to Clemson University after playing for MLS NEXT Pro side Toronto FC II in 2025. Iliadis then transferred Kentucky.
He scored in the season opener against Western Michigan University and produced another goal against Ohio State but hasn’t generated a shot on goal in the Wildcats’ last three matches.
Lee is also a new face in Lexington. The junior played 32 matches for the University of Louisville during his first two collegiate seasons. Lee tied for a team-high three goals with the Cardinals last season — including one score against Indiana.
Kentucky’s 1.33 goals per game ranks seventh in the Sun Belt Conference, down from 1.42 goals per game last year. However, the Wildcats’ backline has been a concern this season.
Kentucky has given up 19 goals in nine games, already surpassing 18 goals allowed over 19 games last season.
After 2025 Sun Belt Goalkeeper of the Year Sebastian Conlon exhausted his eligibility last year, three Wildcats have spent time between the posts this season. Freshman goalkeeper Benjamin Rasmussen has started seven games this season but has allowed 2.03 goals against per game.
Rasmussen beat out fifth-year goalkeeper Gilles Monti for Kentucky’s starting position. Monti joined from FC La Chaux-de-Fonds, a club in the fourth tier of Switzerland’s system. However, Monti has appeared in two games this season, allowing four goals and making six saves.
In the backline, junior Cianole Nguepissi, sophomore Gustav Renman and junior Max Schrader have appeared in all nine games this season. Nguepissi leads the Wildcats with 787 minutes played, while Renman is the only one of the three with a point this season.
“I think there’s still a chance Kentucky would turn around,” Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley said in a press conference Sept. 30. “But it’s certainly not been the year that we’d expect from now.”
A break in Big Ten matches for the Hoosiers
Indiana last faced a nonconference opponent Sept. 7, defeating the University of Denver 3-1. The Hoosiers were clinical against non-Big Ten programs, finishing their early season slate 5-0-1.
With the step-up in competition that the Big Ten brings, the Hoosiers have passed with flying colors. Indiana defeated ranked opponents in No. 6 Maryland and No. 15 Washington and drew with No. 19 Wisconsin.
The Cream and Crimson have also started to click in the attack. Against Penn State, Indiana produced two goals for the first time in conference play, then the Hoosiers put three goals past the Terrapins.
“We had some great attacks,” Yeagley said after the game against Maryland. “Most important, we get one more than them. But I was pleased with the chances we created against a good team, and that gives me a lot of confidence.”
Njike scored his second goal of the season against Maryland. He trails senior forward Oliver Moller-Jensen's seven scores and junior forward Easton Bogard’s four for most on the team.
The trio can attack Kentucky’s 3-4-3 system and create scoring opportunities for the Hoosiers. Although senior forward Collins Oduro has started three games this season, the Ghana native can provide pace off the bench deeper into the match.
Indiana will look to be sound defensively. The Hoosiers’ backline leads the Big Ten with only 0.55 goals allowed per game, while junior goalkeeper Michal Mroz’s .842 save percentage is also first.
“I think we take a lot of pride in defending with the ball,” Indiana junior midfielder Charlie Heuer said postgame Friday. “I think the best way to defend is to keep the ball, and you'll see us possess and kind of sometimes take the air out of the game.”
Indiana and Kentucky will kick off at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. The nonconference showdown can be watched on Big Ten Network.
Follow reporters Noah Boudouris (@noahboudouris and nboudour@iu.edu) and Sean McAvoy (@sean_mc07 and semcavoy@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
