Mountaineers Fall on the Road to No. 25 Kentucky

Sunday, October 26

Lexington, Ky.

7:00 PM

West Virginia University

10-3-2, 5-2-0

Kentucky

9-2-3, 6-1-0

West Virginia

Kentucky

October 26, 2025 09:38 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Adam Grossman

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 10 West Virginia University men's soccer team suffered a 1-0 defeat on the road to No. 25 Kentucky, Sunday evening at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex. The Mountaineers fall to 10-3-2 and 5-2-0 in the Sun Belt while the Wildcats improve to 9-2-3 and 6-1-0 in conference play.

With the win, Kentucky jumps to the top of the Sun Belt table with 18 points while WVU goes to third in the standings with 15 points behind Marshall, who has 16 points.

The Mountaineers outshot the Wildcats, 9-7, on the night and had a slim 3-2 edge in shots on goal. West Virginia also had the advantage in corner kicks, earning five to UK's one.

The best chance of the game for WVU came early in the third minute as a shot from junior Pablo Pozos hit the post before shots by sophomore Isaac Scheer and senior Felix Ewald were saved by Kentucky goalkeeper Sebastian Conlon.

In the 39^th minute, sophomore Braedon Smith looked to put the Mountaineers in front on his first touch of the game, but his shot went just wide.

In the second half, Scheer had another opportunity, but his shot was once again saved in the 69^th minute.

A few moments later in the 72^nd minute, Kentucky broke the deadlock with a goal by Alex Ruiz. Graduate student goalkeeper Marc Bonnaire got a foot on the shot but was unable to keep it out of the back of the net.

Now down a goal, West Virginia looked for the equalizer, getting five shots in the final 15 minutes, but could not find it. The best chance came in the 86^th minute when senior Marcus Caldeira leaped high for a header in the box, but his shot went into the waiting arms of Conlon.

The Mountaineers will return home for its final home game of the regular season against No. 9 Marshall on Friday, Oct. 31 with kickoff set for 7 p.m. A win by WVU would leapfrog the Mountaineers over the Thundering Herd into second place in the Sun Belt standings with one game remaining which is key as the top two teams host the first two rounds of the conference tournament.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.