The Kentucky women?s soccer team (7-5-2, 2-2-1) needed points in the standings coming into the weekend and they got what they were looking for as they earned a 0-0 tie with the 16th ranked (SoccerTimes.com) Florida Gators (8-4-2, 4-1-1).
UK collected four points on the weekend defeating South Carolina, who was previously unbeaten in the SEC, on Friday night followed by today?s tie.
?Considering the teams we had coming in here, we?re pretty happy,? said head coach Warren Lipka. ?Starting the weekend with only three points and then ending with seven now, we made great strides forward. I?m very proud of the girls; they?re really turning the corner at the right time of the year. We just need to carry this sort of mentality and attitude on for the next few weeks so we can be in position to be in a good place.
?It?s important to gain points on a home stand because you?ve got everything at home as in rest, training and a routine,? said Lipka. ?We tied a very quality team. They?re very dynamic going forward; they have great attacking personalities but I thought we defended the best we?ve defended all year long. The girls were very tight and very organized and did an excellent job.?
The two teams fought to a scoreless tie at the half. The Gators registered a 2-1 shot lead, but neither team came away with any serious scoring opportunities despite tallying five corner kicks (three to Florida, two to Kentucky) in the first 45 minutes.
Florida had perhaps the best opportunity to get on the board with 37 seconds left in the half. Katie Green tried to chase down a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box but Wildcat goalie Anne Ogundele came out of the goal and made a diving save on the ball to end the threat.
The Wildcats had a legitimate opportunity in the 56th minute attacking the Florida goal with numbers but freshman Giuleana Lopez was just narrowly offside and the play was blown dead.
Kentucky had its best scoring opportunity in regulation in the 79th minute when Megan Jones drove the ball down the left side and put a centering pass right on the money to Kristin Kover who sent a shot right at Gator goalie Brittni Goodwin who was there for the save.
The Cats were at it again a minute later when Caitlin Coughlin charged a ball in front of the Gator goal but her chip shot was corralled by Goodwin to preserve the scoreless tie.
Florida nearly claimed the first goal of the match in the 82nd minute when Stacy Bishop sent a centering pass in front of the goal from the right side that Ogundele knocked down. A flurry of action ensued involving Angela Napolitano and Bianca Gibbs but Ogundele was able to drop down and control the ball.
The game remained scoreless through the end of regulation with both teams managing only nine shots combined (UF 5, UK 4).
Once in overtime, the Wildcats managed the only real scoring threat when Callie Lanphier narrowly missed a golden goal six minutes into the first extra frame. Lanphier followed up a Kentucky corner kick with a shot from 25 yards out that hit off the crossbar and ricocheted away.
For Kentucky it was their third shutout in as many games. Ogundele has now recorded 290 consecutive scoreless minutes and has eight shutouts to her name. Her eight clean sheets ranks second in Kentucky soccer history for shutouts in a season, one shy of tying the school record held by Carrie Kuhnell (1997-98).
The Wildcats will look to continue their momentum next weekend when the team heads south to take on Tennessee and Georgia.
