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LEXINGTON, Ky. -  Senior Perez Agaba had a goal and an assist as the IUPUI men's soccer team played No. 21 Kentucky to a 2-2 tie at the UK Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon. It marked the second straight year in which the Jaguars have earned a draw against a ranked foe. However, Sunday's match ended after 90 minutes as a massive storm moved through the area, just moments before the start of what would have been the first overtime period.

What originally was going to be a 30-minute lightning delay turned into a capper as rain drenched the area over the next hour.
 
"I thought we had a chance to win the game," IUPUI Head Coach Isang Jacob said. "As you can see, the boys played well. We're still trying to find out who our true 11 are. Kentucky is a very good team and they have very good offensive power.

"(Tyler) Keever played another good game. We played in Kentucky and we're up 2-1. Anytime you play a top 25 team in their home, you're going to get the shots going."

Kentucky (3-0-1) dominated play from the outset, outshooting IUPUI 28-7 overall and accumulating 16 corner kicks to IUPUI's one. However, the Jaguars' defense held strong and an opportunistic attack made the most of it's quality attempts.

After the hosts went in front in the 16th minute on Matt Lodge's score, IUPUI pulled even in the 30th minute on Matt Guy's first goal of the year. Agaba played him forward and Guy did the rest, getting around a defender before rolling a shot past the goalkeeper from 16 yards out.

"That was always a relief," Agaba said of the game's first goal. "Giving Matty the ball and him having the composure to beat the defender and putting the ball in the back of the net was a huge boost for us. That was the turning point in the match." 

IUPUI (1-2-1) seemed primed for the upset after Agaba put the Jaguars in front in the 48th minute by converting a penalty kick. The senior roofed the shot past UK goalkeeper Jack Van Arsdale for his first tally of the season, which was a result of Jeff Keyler being pulled down inside the UK penalty area.

Defensively, senior goalkeeper Tyler Keever held strong between the posts and Galen Cassady and Kyle Hyland kept the Jaguars organized. Kentucky continued to control possession and force the issue, making the Jaguars to defend, dump and chase. Seemingly on the cusp of full time, Kentucky finally potted the game-tying goal in the 85th minute.

Jonathan Brown sent a ball between the Jaguars' center backs, hitting Tyler Riggs in stride. Riggs, who was picked to the national team of the week, hit a shot from 12 yards out past Keever into right half of the goal. The Jaguars were left looking to the linesman for an offsides call, rather than recovering to track Riggs down.

IUPUI had other quality chances in the second half as Agaba had a strike go just wide of the left post and sophomore Jeff Keyler hit a shot right at Van Arsdale from beyond the top of the 18. Redshirt freshman Matt Whicker almost got on the end of a ball at the far post with the Jags leading 2-1 that could've pushed the lead to 3-1. Defensively, Keever benefited from a pair of fortuitous bounces as one shot hit the left post square in the first half and later, a C.J. Tappel drive caught the crossbar before bounding back onto the field in the second half.

"I commend our defense and our keeper," Agaba said. "I thought Keever did a good job in there."

Keever finished with five saves and was named to the All-Tournament Team and was joined by Hyland on the 11-man grouping. Agaba led IUPUI with two shot attempts while Lodge led all players with six tries. Last season, the Jaguars' benchmark performance may have been a 0-0 double overtime tie at No. 7 Butler.

The Jaguars tough early season schedule will continue next weekend, beginning with IUPUI playing at the nation's top ranked team, Louisville on Friday at 5:00 p.m.. After that, IUPUI will head to Cincinnati as part of the same event on Sunday.