The Kentucky Wildcat women?s soccer team defeated Vanderbilt 2-0 on Saturday at Heath High School in Paducah, KY pushing their record this spring to 6-0-2. The Cats hosted a free clinic for youth at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The clinic was followed by the match with their SEC rivals which drew an attendance of 650.
The Big Blue got on the board in the 31st minute when junior Caitlin Coughlin beat the Vanderbilt keeper for the 1-0 lead. Sophomore Kristin Kover sent a free kick in from 50 yards out. Redshirt sophomore Rachel Ulrich got on the end of it and played a pass behind the Vanderbilt defense which Coughlin finished off for what would prove to be the game winner.
UK got an insurance goal in the 72nd minute when sophomore Nicola Holdsworth feathered a perfect pass behind the Vandy defense to redshirt sophomore Katie Rice. Rice ran on to the Holdsworth pass and calmly placed her shot in the side netting for a 2-0 lead. It was Rice?s first goal in a Wildcat uniform.
The Cats? defense still has not conceded a goal this spring. Vanderbilt was not without their chances, as they had several opportunities to get in the scoring column. Redshirt freshman Laura Baker continued her solid play in the goal as she has now not given up a goal in her first 400 minutes of action as a Wildcat. Baker was tough again on Saturday as she finished with seven saves on the day.
?It was great coming out here to Paducah to showcase our program and the game of soccer,? said Wildcat head coach Warren Lipka. ?The kids were great at the clinic and we were happy to head out this way and meet some of the great people of the Paducah area. A special thanks to Coach Chris Lacey (Heath HS) and all of his support staff for helping us arrange this; and to Vanderbilt for agreeing to come up and play and give the fans here a display of quality soccer.?
The Cats return to action on Wednesday, April 4th at 7:00 p.m. at the UK Soccer Complex when they will do battle with the Miami (OH) Redhawks. Kentucky managed a 1-0 victory in Oxford this past fall. Admission is free and open to the public.
