Cats Score Twice in Final 10 Minutes for 2-1 Win Over Ohio State

Screen scores first career goal, ElMedkhar logs game winner

LEXINGTON, Ky. — (Madison Dennis, UK Athletics) After facing a 1-0 deficit with less than 10 minutes to go, No. 20 Kentucky (7-2-3, 1-1-1 Conference USA) came roaring back for a 2-1 victory over Ohio State (6-6-1, 1-2-1 Big Ten Conference) on a chilly Wednesday night at Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.

Robert Screen sparked the late offensive momentum swing for Kentucky with a free kick in the 81^st minute, sending a ball past Ohio State goalkeeper Parker Siegfried to the upper-right corner of the net. Four minutes later, Kalil ElMedKhar scored the game winner off a perfectly placed cross from Eythor Bjorgolfsson.

The Wildcats’ Clay Holstad recorded the first shot of the match 11 minutes after the opening whistle. The Cats added seven more attempts in the half, but the period ended in a scoreless deadlock.

In the 54^th minute, the Buckeyes took advantage of a defensive error when Xavier Green put his team on the board first by way of an assist from fellow midfielder Jack Holland.

Ohio State held the lead for the majority of the second half, but UK outshot OSU 11-5 over the span and 19-6 overall. The Cats’ pair of goals were two of six shots on target on the night, while Ohio State managed only one.

The Cats will resume conference play on Saturday, traveling to Norfolk, Virginia, for a matchup with Old Dominion (3-7-1, 1-2-1 C-USA) at 7 p.m. ET.