When a winless team at the bottom of a conference takes on the first place powerhouse it normally doesn’t provide many story lines. This situation, which usually results in a win for the powerhouse, has many similarities with the men’s soccer team’s game today. Today’s meeting between the Falcons and the Wildcats, however, has other story lines that stem from last season’s MAC tournament.
Today’s game in Lexington between the Falcons and the Wildcats is the first time the two teams have met since last years semifinal match in December and provides the Wildcats a chance to avenge the Falcons upset.
Last season the Wildcats were roughly in the same position they are this year. They were in the driver’s seat of the conference and were cruising through the season. Being the number one seed in the tournament, following a first round bye, the Wildcats took on the fourth ranked Falcons. After embarrassing the Falcons in the season the game seemed to be a mere stepping stone for the Wildcats in route to their MAC championship. The Falcons, however, had other plans and not only defeated the Wildcats but also shut them out in a 1-0 loss.
While this weekend’s game is a regular season game, the Wildcats will undoubtedly have their abrupt halt to last season on their mind. The Falcons, however, are going to need an equal effort to last season to pull off another win in Lexington.
Unfortunately for the Falcons last year’s upset win in the semifinals was the last time the Falcons have won a game. The Falcons seem to be improving in every match, and lost a heartbreaker last week to conference opponents Buffalo in overtime, 2-1. Now with an 0-14 record and an 0-4 conference record the Falcons don’t have much to lose going down the final stretch of the regular season. This weekend’s game also provides some great opportunities for the winless team. A win against Kentucky could not only boost team confidence for the Falcons but it could also prove to the rest of the conference that they can compete come conference tournament time.
Following today’s game the Falcons have only three games remaining in the season, one in the conference and will wrap up the season at home against IPFW on October 28.
