Oct. 5, 2003
LEXINGTON – Elisabeth Jones’ 92nd-minute left-footer from eight yards out gave Kentucky a 3-2 overtime victory over Arkansas Sunday at the UK Soccer Complex. The freshman’s first career goal gives Kentucky its first overtime win since a 3-2 decision over Vanderbilt three seasons ago.
The Cats attacked the Lady Razorback defense early, as senior Lauren Russell found the back of the net in the fourth minute when she drilled a feed from Elizabeth Ramsey just inside the right post. In the 41st minute, Courtney McCrudden took a timely feed from Ramsey, creating a one-on-one scoring opportunity. McCrudden approached from the left side of the penalty box and fired a low line drive just to the left of the Arkansas goalkeeper for a 2-0 lead the Cats would take into halftime. Ramsey’s second assist of the half pushed her past Annie Gage as UK’s all-time career assists leader.
In the second half, lightning struck twice for the Lady Razorbacks. In the 53rd minute, Christina Burger wove her way through the UK defense and beat an approaching Anne Ogundele to slice the Kentucky lead in half. Just 17 seconds later, Burger duplicated her initial feat, scoring on a nearly identical approach and shot to knot the score at two. Kentucky turned up its offensive attack, but the Lady Razorback defense collected itself and sent the match to overtime.
In the second minute of overtime, Ramsey sent a high, arcing pass from the right flank toward the top of the penalty box. Russell headed the ball forward, and Jones’ left-footed strike emerged from a scrum of Arkansas defenders into the net for the game winner.
“Lauren (Russell) came back toward the ball, and I think she got a head on it,” a jubilant Jones said. “I just found the ball and put it in with my left foot.”
Though disappointed with his team’s second-half play, UK Coach Warren Lipka was pleased by his team’s toughness through adversity.
“This win shows character. We had a five-minute lapse on defense in the second half, but we took the game back. We only played 85 minutes in regulation, but we got away with a win,” Lipka said.
The sudden-death win for Kentucky bumps the Cats to 5-5-1 and 3-0 in conference play, while Arkansas drops to 5-4-2 and 1-1 in the conference. Kentucky hits the road the next two weekends, meeting Alabama next Friday, Oct. 12 in Tuscaloosa.
