Oct. 25, 2009
STARKVILLE, MS – The offensive nightmare continued for the UK women’s soccer team (5-9-4, 2-7-1 SEC), as they managed just six shots in a 2-0 loss at Mississippi State (9-7-2, 1-7-2) on Senior Day.
The loss was the first for UK against Mississippi State since 2004 and the first time the Wildcats lost by multiple goals to the Bulldogs.
“We give all the credit for a great win to Mississippi State and their staff,” said UK head coach Jon Lipsitz. “I thought they did a better job of being a united team and we spent a lot of time being individuals. The wonderful thing about team sports is that sometimes you can accomplish things as a group that is impossible to accomplish simply being on your own page and being an individual. They did a better job doing what it takes to win in a team sport.”
Mississippi State took a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute on Lauren Morgan’s first goal of the season. With the ball in the Kentucky 18-yard box, Rachel Wannek tapped it back to Morgan who fired from 20 yards out past a diving Laura Burton inside the left post.
The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead with 6:06 left in the match when Kat Walsh got the ball off a deflection and chipped it over a charging Burton.
Kentucky had one last attempt with 2:30 left in the match when Katie Fahey dribbled the ball down the near sideline and centered a pass right in front of the Mississippi State goal to Laura Novikoff. Novikoff got a solid head on the ball, but the shot went wide right of the goal.
Novikoff led the Cats with two shots on the day, while Mississippi State outshot Kentucky 12-6 and held UK to just one corner kick (5-1).
UK closes out the regular season next Friday in Nashville, Tenn. where they take on the Vanderbilt Commodores.
