Box Score I Box Score (.pdf)

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Junior Perez Agaba scored twice and freshman Jeff Keyler added a goal and an assist as the IUPUI men's soccer team wheeled past UNC-Asheville for a 3-1 season opening win at the UKIT on Friday night. Junior Tyler Keever earned the win in net, finishing the night with five saves.

"It was a good day for the boys," IUPUI Head Coach Steve Franklin said. "It was an outstanding day for Perez (Agaba). He was kind of a man amongst boys today."

Keyler opened the scoring in his collegiate debut by putting the Jaguars on the scoreboard in the game's 25th minute. Keever played a long 50/50 ball into the UNC-Asheville (0-1) defense that found Keyler on the receiving end. Keyler took the ball on a bounce and chipped a shot over UNCA goalkeeper Lassi Hurskainen, who was closing hard off his back line. 

Less than two minutes later, it was Keyler that played distributor as he assisted Agaba on his eighth career goal. Keyler crossed a ball into the Uganda-native, who drilled a shot past Hurskainen from in close.

"He caught their goalkeeper out of position and slotted one in," Franklin said. "It was a gorgeous goal."

Having taken a 2-0 lead into halftime, Agaba added some insurance in the 48th minute when he scored off a feed from sophomore Joshio Sandoval. Sandoval helped pull Hurskainen off his line to set up Agaba's second career multi-goal game. 

IUPUI outshot UNCA 12-11 as junior Tyler Fritcha led all players with six attempts.

"Collectively, I was extremely happy with the poise we played with," Franklin said. "It's the first time in a long time that we've opened with a victory. Maybe now we can get a signature win on Sunday."

In fact, it was just IUPUI's second win in a season opener since 2006. 

Defensively, IUPUI kept Asheville scoreless until the 78th minute when Branden Lassen netted a score from outside the 18-yard box. The UNCA attacker drilled a strike into the upper corner of the net to set the final margin.

"Good collective effort all the way around," Franklin added. "Galen (Cassady) played well and (Tyler) Fritcha gave us some good stuff. I liked how John Jordan stepped in in the first half for Emile Garcia and gave us quality minutes."

IUPUI will conclude its appearance in the UKIT on Sunday when it plays host Kentucky at 2:30 p.m..