Sept. 29, 2011
UK Game Notes (.pdf)
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USC Game Notes (.pdf)
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team (8-2-0, 1-1-0) travels to Columbia, S.C., to play the South Carolina Gamecocks (7-4-0, 1-1-0) at Stone Stadium at 6:00 p.m. EST Friday night. The Southeastern Conference clash will also serve as a breast cancer awareness game, with South Carolina sporting pink uniforms in support of breast cancer awareness.
Kentucky is off to their best start since 2001, winning eight of their first 10 games of the season. The Wildcats have already achieved many milestones in 2011, including a win in Tuscaloosa, Ala. for the first time since 2003. UK also picked up a SEC road win on the opening weekend of conference play for the first time since 2004.
The Cats are on the concluding leg of a season-high five-game road trip, which spanned 21 days and saw UK face talented foes in No. 16 Dayton, No. 20 Auburn and Alabama. Kentucky ends the trip this weekend at South Carolina, who is receiving votes in the national polls, on Friday and at ninth ranked (Soccer Times) Florida on Sunday afternoon.
Kentucky and South Carolina are just on the outside of the NSCAA national poll, as both are receiving votes. South Carolina fell out of the top-25 this week after suffering a double-overtime loss against Georgia on Sunday. UK ranks fourth in the NSCAA South regional poll, while the Gamecocks are just two slots lower, in sixth place.
UK senior captain Kelsey Hunyadi has continued to set a blistering offensive pace for Kentucky’s offense to begin the season. Just last weekend, Hunyadi recorded five points against Alabama, netting two goals and an assist. The five points escalated her season total to 20, which is second in the SEC. Hunyadi is ranked in the top five in seven of the nine offensive statistical categories by the SEC.
The Kentucky offense has already scored 21 goals this season through the first ten games. By comparison, Kentucky scored 12 goals in the first 10 contests in 2010.
The Wildcats’ defense has been very good as well; UK has only allowed 11 goals in 10 games; good enough for fifth in the SEC. Kentucky has only allowed two or more goals twice this season, while recording three shutouts which is second in the SEC.
UK holds a 10-6-1 edge all-time over the Gamecocks; however, the Cats have not beaten USC since the 2006 season. The last time Kentucky beat the Gamecocks in Columbia, was in 2005.
After an off-day on Saturday, UK will conclude the road trip with a Sunday afternoon tilt in Gainesville, Fla., against the No. 12 Florida Gators.
Florida, once again nationally ranked, will provide a tough test for the Wildcats. The Gators have been ranked in the NSCAA top-25 each of the last five years these two teams have squared off.
The Wildcats will look to improve upon a 2-17-2 record all-time against Florida and capture its first win over the Gators since the SEC Tournament championship game in 2006.
The last time UK defeated a top-25 team was back on September 3, 2010 when the Wildcats knocked off No. 15 Virginia Tech.
The game on Sunday will be one of two televised games for Kentucky in 2011, as Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS) will carry the action live from James G. Pressly Stadium. The game is scheduled for a 2:07 p.m. ET kickoff. Bernie Guenther will provide the play-by-play and former Georgia State standout Christa Mann will provide color commentary.
Live stats for both matches will be available at www.UKathletics.com and a free live video stream for Friday’s match at South Carolina will also be available at www.UKathletics.com.
