Oct. 8, 2010
BATON ROUGE, La. – Just as it looked like the UK women’s soccer team (7-5-1, 1-3-1 SEC) was going to forge a tie on the road, LSU (5-5-3, 2-1-2) converted a set piece with 6:02 left in the second overtime to pull out the 1-0 victory.
With the score knotted at zero, UK was whistled for a foul. LSU took the free kick from outside the 18-yard box and lofted a ball into the box. Carlie Banks controlled it and delivered the ball in front of the goal where Natalie Martineau put a header just inside the right post for the game-winner.
“The word I used at halftime with the team was `passive’,” said UK head coach Jon Lipsitz. “I thought they were very passive. In the first 30 minutes of the game, Natalie Horner and Caitlin Landis both had tremendous opportunities from about 20 yards out, but both times passed up those chances. I knew right then we weren’t right.
“We talked all week about being aggressive. We played very aggressive last week to beat Tennessee and tie Georgia. When you go on the road you have to exert you own authority, you don’ have the crowd, it’s uncomfortable and you have to be aggressive. Tonight though, you have to credit that mostly to LSU. I think we have to find an identity. Both of our captains are out injured, but in no way is that an excuse, LSU deserved this victory.”
Neither team was able to get much offense going in the first 45 minutes; however UK nearly made it a 1-0 game the wrong way in the 33rd minute. The Wildcats were whistled for a foul 25 yards out from the goal. LSU’s Taryne Boudreau took the free kick and lofted the ball just in front of the UK goal. Laura Novikoff rose above the crowd and attempted to head the ball away, but she misdirected the ball and sent it just over the UK crossbar.
The Wildcats forced the action early in the second half. This time it was LSU that was whistled for the foul just over the midfield line in the 49th minute. Novikoff sent a ball deep into the Tiger zone that LSU defenders headed around and mishit, sending it towards their goal, but LSU defender Kellie Murphy was on the goal line to save the ball away.
UK had another opportunity in the 58th minute off another set piece. The Tigers were whistled for a foul on the far side of the field just outside the 18-yard box. Alyssa Telang took the kick and served a high, arcing ball towards the far post. Novikoff rose high in the air, but her header went just left of the post.
Kentucky found itself with another chance in the 75th minute off another set piece. Ashley VanLandingham served a ball into the box where Natalie Horner got a head on it, sending to Novikoff who headed it just over the crossbar.
The Tigers answered with a threat in the 82nd minute when a wide-open Banks fired a shot from five yards out, but Sydney Hiance was able to get her hands up in time to deflect the ball away.
UK was outshot on the evening 15-8 while allowing 10 corners to their own one.
The Wildcats conclude the weekend and its four-game road stretch on Sunday in Fayetteville, where they take on the Razorbacks.
UK Post Match Notes
- UK took its first corner kick in the 96th minute.
- Kentucky fell to 0-1-1 in overtime games this year and is 25-22-33 all-time in overtime matches.
- The Wildcats suffered their first one-goal loss of the season.
- Kentucky is 9-3-2 all-time against LSU and hasn’t won in Baton Rouge since the 2004 season.
- Sydney Hiance moved to third on UK’s all-time minutes played list among goalies. She has recorded 5467 minutes.
