Wildcats’ Journey to Louisville Culminates in South Bend

In a tough matchup against No. 2 Notre Dame, the Kentucky men’s soccer team fell 2-0 in the second round of the 2023 NCAA DI Men’s Soccer Tournament. Despite the loss, the Wildcats have made the second round of the tournament for the fifth consecutive time, joining Indiana and Georgetown as the only three Division I programs to achieve this feat.

Under the guidance of head coach Johan Cedergren, Kentucky has made 10 NCAA Tournaments in his 12 seasons as coach, accumulating 14 appearances in program history. The Wildcats faced a challenging start to the 2023 season with a 3-6-0 record, but they turned the tide in October, going unbeaten in their final seven regular season matches. Notably, Kentucky upset No. 1 Marshall and No. 2 West Virginia, paving the way for a postseason run.

After a victory over fourth-seeded James Madison in the quarterfinals, the Wildcats came up short against top-seeded Marshall in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. However, their impressive turnaround earned them a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in program history.

In the first round of the tournament, Kentucky emerged victorious with a 2-0 win against Xavier. Unfortunately, their journey came to an end in South Bend against the Fighting Irish. The first half of the match saw the Wildcats record five shots, including three by freshman Alfred Baafi, but they entered halftime without a score.

Early in the second half, Notre Dame’s Bryce Boneau found the back of the net, putting the Fighting Irish ahead. They sealed their second-round victory with a goal from Nolan Spicer in the 79th minute. Kentucky made three more attempts to score before the final whistle, but time ran out.

Reflecting on the match, coach Johan Cedergren expressed some disappointment in the result but also praised his team’s performance in the last 10 games. He remains optimistic, stating, “We’ll be back.”

With a final record of 8-8-4 and a conference play record of 3-3-3, the Wildcats have concluded their 2023 season. Fans can stay updated on Kentucky Men’s Soccer by following @UKMensSoccer on X, Facebook, and Instagram, or visiting UKAthletics.com.