Kentucky Picks Up Three Points in 2-0 Win Over Vanderbilt
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 18 Kentucky women’s soccer (8-0-5, 2-0-4 SEC) picked up its second SEC win of the season, defeating the visiting Vanderbilt Commodores (7-4-3, 2-4-0 SEC) by a score of 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.
The win keeps the Wildcats unbeaten on the 2023 season and brings the team to 10 points in SEC play, its most in the league since 2015. UK’s eight wins this year are its most since the 2017 season.
Ulfa Úlfarsdóttir converted on a first half penalty, while Maya Lacognato added some insurance after the intermission in what would turn out to be the seventh shutout for the Cats this year.
In the 36th minute, Kentucky’s Grace Hoytink was taken down in the box, giving Úlfarsdóttir an opportunity from the penalty dot. The senior from Iceland converted with a shot to her left, making her three for three on PK attempts in her career.
Up 1-0 to start the second half, the Wildcats quickly padded their lead as Maya Lacognato scored her third goal of the season in the 49th minute. The score came off a throw in on the right side as the freshman Hoytink found Jordyn Rhodes about 25 yards out, who proceeded to play a quick pass to a cutting Lacognato. The forward from Granger, Indiana dribbled into the box and slotted a left-footed shot off the keeper’s hands and into the bottom left corner.
For Rhodes, the assist was her third of the season and second this week, bringing the fifth-year to 21 points for the season. Hoytink collected the third helper of her freshman campaign on the goal.
In net, Marz Josephson recorded two saves for her seventh shutout of the season, the most in the SEC. Kentucky has allowed just six goals through 13 matches this year.
The victory snaps a six-match losing streak for UK against Vanderbilt and gives the Cats their first win over the Commodores since 2013.
Kentucky will have a week off before its next contest, a home match vs. Mississippi State on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram at @UKWomensSoccer, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
