Oct. 27, 2006

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - After clinching their third straight Conference USA Tournament appearance with 2-0 win over Marshall on Wednesday night, the University of Memphis men's soccer team will look to improve their seeding in the conference tournament when they travel to Kentucky to take on the No. 14 Wildcats in the final regular season match of 2006.

Depending on the results of all other conference games, the Tigers could be as high as fourth or as low as eight when the C-USA Tournament seeds are handed out. However, Memphis remains focused on the Wildcats.

"Kentucky's a good, solid team," head coach Richie Grant said. "Our players know that this is a chance for us to improve our conference stadings as well as to improve our place in the region."

The Tigers will have their work cut out for them with Kentucky. The Wildcats have won five straight home matches and are currently tied with South Carolina for second-place in the conference, just one point behind No. 1 SMU.

"They've had a really solid season again this year. I can't say enough for what Ian Collins has done with their program. Playing against Kentucky, we're going to have to prepare for a tough match," Grant said. "The one thing you know you're going to get when you play Kentucky is that they're always competitive. They're very tough and organized, which is a credit to their coach."

Memphis got off to a strong start this week thanks to a 3-0 win over Marshall in their final home game of the year. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Tigers who had been shutout in their two previous matches.

"I thought the team played really relaxed on Wednesday. There was real confidence in their performance," head coach Richie Grant said. "That's the way you want you're team playing toward the end of the season. Now we're hoping that play continues through the Kentucky game and on through the Conference USA Tournament."

Wednesday's three goal outburst by junior midfielder Kevin Walsh and freshman goalkeeper Michael Goodlett's third shutout of the season have the Tigers confident as they enter the final match of the regular season.

"Thrusday's practice was fairly lively," Grant said. "The lads were in good spirits with the drop in temperature, the excitement of clinching a tournament spot, the excitement of going to Kentucky with a chance to improve our standing in the region and in the conference all led to the being in good form. They've been in good form all year in fairness to them. They really seem to be enjoying the challenges of the season."

Kickoff between Memphis and Kentucky is set for 6:00 PM central time on Saturday night. Fans can follow along with live stats on Kentucky's website, www.ukathletics.com.

Fan-Tastic

Cold and Rainy weather on Wednesday night couldn't dampen the mood at Mike Rose Soccer Complex as the Tigers wrapped up their home schedule with a 3-0 win over Marshall.

The Tigers set a new single-season attendance record with 3,746 over nine home dates. The record attendance included two crowds of over 800 fans for the first time since the Tigers moved to Mike Rose Soccer Complex in 2001.

Series History

The Tigers and Wildcats have crossed paths three times entering Saturday's match. So far the Tigers own the 2-1-0 advantage, but have outscored Kentucky by just one goal (4-3 in three games).

Memphis took the first match in 1991 by shutting out the Wildcats 1-0. Kentucky took the rematch in 1992 by winning 2-1 at home.

2005 marked the first time the two teams met as conference foes. The Tigers took the win 2-1, but it took a Michael Coburn header in overtime to do so.

Saturday Night Football

The Tigers have shown an affinity for soccer after dark, recording a 7-2 record entering Saturday night's match with the Wildcats. The Tigers have gone 2-1 on the road under the lights and are 3-1 in conference night games.

"Night games are exciting for all players. The atmosphere and conditions are a little better. You get a full day to prepare which really helps, and the temperature is much better when it's a little cooler. You can perform much better when the temperature is a little bit more forgiving, which is great for our athletes." On The Road Again

Memphis will look to regain the form that led them to four consecutive road victories to start the season, which tied a school record. After picking up wins at Louisville, Belmont, Air Force, and Denver, the Tigers lost at South Carolina, UCF, and FIU.

Saturday night's match against Kentucky will be the Tigers final opportunity to snap their three-game road losing streak.