Both Kentucky soccer programs have stormed out of the gates, with the men's team knocking off a ranked opponent and the women's squad outscoring opponents 15-1.
The 2025 season is young, but for Kentucky soccer, it's already been perfect. Both the men's and women's programs have raced out to flawless, unbeaten records, setting a dominant tone for the year ahead.
Men's team knocks off ranked foe, stands at 2-0-0
Thoughts from goalscorer Joaquin Brizuela after scoring his first career goal for the Wildcats!#WeAreUK | #GBED pic.twitter.com/V1gVzCrixD
— Kentucky Men’s Soccer (@UKMensSoccer) August 26, 2025
The UK men's team made an early statement by going on the road and defeating #20 Western Michigan 2-1. The hero of the match was midfielder Alex Ruiz, who netted both goals for the Wildcats. After the Broncos tied the game in the 74th minute, Ruiz responded just over 90 seconds later with the unassisted game-winner.
They followed that impressive victory with a suffocating defensive performance in a 1-0 home win against Bellarmine. Kentucky controlled the match from the start, outshooting the Knights 13-2. The decisive goal came from a Joaquín Brizuela penalty kick in the 64th minute, while goalkeeper Sebastian Conlon secured his first clean sheet of the season.
Women's team on a tear with 4-0-0 start
dubs in the chat 👏#WeAreUK | #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/DeghF90MN7
— Kentucky Women's Soccer (@UKWomensSoccer) August 22, 2025
Not to be outdone, the Kentucky women's team has been an offensive juggernaut. After routing their first two opponents by a combined score of 11-0, they kept the momentum rolling with two more impressive wins.
They secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over East Tennessee State, with star forward Alexis Tylenda scoring both goals, including a clutch game-winner in the 88th minute. The Wildcats then returned home and put on a clinic, dismantling Detroit Mercy 2-0 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated. Kentucky outshot the Titans by a staggering 26-4 margin. Goals from Catherine Rapp and Anna Sikorski sealed the victory, and keeper Khadijah Cisse earned the shutout without needing to make a single save.
Through four games, the women are a perfect 4-0-0 and have outscored their opponents by a remarkable 15-1 margin. It's an explosive start for two programs looking to make serious noise this season.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time, he spends time with his family, and watching Premier League soccer. #UpTheAlbion