Sept. 20, 2009
LEXINGTON, KY – The Kentucky Wildcats found their offensive touch and as a result got back on the winning track, claiming a 3-0 victory over Tennessee Tech (1-7-1) in the Kentucky Tournament.
UK scored a season high three goals including first career scores from Stefani Kildare and Kirsten Robinson.
“We’ve put in a lot of work in front of goals and a lot of work being more dynamic on the attack,” said UK head coach Jon Lipsitz. “I think getting a goal early in the game gave us a lot of confidence. We didn’t get in any spots better than we have been in any other games, we just finished one early. We’ve just been waiting for that moment and looking for everybody else to have that moment. Once someone stepped up and finished a great serve it relaxed us.”
Junior goalie Sydney Hiance recorded her career best fifth shutout of the season and her second on the weekend.
The Wildcats broke their scoreless streak of 591 minutes in the 10th minute when Robinson, streaking down the right side of the field, sent a centering pass about 10 yards in front of the goal. Kildare got a solid header on the ball just inside the left upright for her first career goal and a 1-0 UK lead.
Robinson tallied her goal in the 23rd minute when Kiondra McGee found her at the top of the 18-yard box. Robinson turn and fired a shot that found its way inside the upper left 90 of the goal for her first collegiate goal and a 2-0 UK lead.
UK added its season best third goal in the 88th minute when Jenna Goblirsch took a pass from Giuleana Lopez, fended of a few Golden Eagle defenders and fired a shot from 10 yards out for her team leading second goal of the year.
UK posted a runner-up finish in the tournament with a 1-0-1 record tying tournament champion Western Kentucky. Since the two teams played to a 0-0 tie on Friday and had a goal differential of +3 (UK, 3-0, WKU 4-1), the Hilltoppers won the championship by virtue of the third tiebreaker, scoring four goals to UK’s three on the weekend.
Hiance was named the tournament’s defensive MVP after recording two shutouts in 200 minutes of action. UK representatives on the all-tournament included Jenna Goblirsch, Julie Hull, Kiondra McGee and Alyssa Telang.
In addition to the Wildcats on the all-tournament team were Western Kentucky’s Katie Walker, Morgan Thomas, Mallory Outerbridge and Nikki Workman, Marshall’s Sarah Vinson and Freya Holdaway and Tennessee Tech’s Jen Hoffman. WKU’s Katie Walker was named the tournament’s offensive MVP.
The Wildcats open conference play this weekend on the road, traveling to Gainesville to take on the seventh ranked (NSCAA) Florida Gators and to Columbia to take on the 13th ranked South Carolina Gamecocks.
Game 1 – Western Kentucky 4, Marshall 1
Marshall jumped out to 1-0 lead in the first half, but the Hilltoppers answered with four second half goals for the final 4-1 victory. Western Kentucky finished the weekend with a 1-0-1 record and a +3 goal differential, while the Thundering Herd were 1-1-0 with a goal differential of -2.
