Aug. 28, 2003
The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team kicks off its 12th season of play Friday evening when the Cats take on Davidson. Game time for “Cat Fight Night” is 7:30 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex. Head Coach Warren Lipka welcomes the return of 21 student-athletes from the 2002 team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Five newcomers join Lipka’s battle-tested veterans for what promises to be an exciting Kentucky soccer season. The Cats enter regular-season play on the heels of two impressive exhibition victories against Ohio State and Cincinnati last weekend at the IPFW/adidas Soccer Showcase in Ft. Wayne, Ind.
Leading the Cats into 2003 is senior forward Elizabeth Ramsey. The Hilliard, Ohio native is coming off of a stellar 2002 season during which she earned first-team All-SEC and All-Great Lakes Region honors. A two-time All-SEC and SEC Academic Honor Roll member, Ramsey appears ready to challenge for the SEC Player of the Year nod. Joining Ramsey in the UK attack is senior Heather Saas, who comes off of a four-goal showing in the two exhibition matches last weekend. Also returning is senior Lauren Russell, Kentucky’s second-leading goal scorer from a year ago. Promising freshman Elisabeth Jones, the reigning Miss Kentucky Soccer from Lexington Christian Academy, also figures to contribute valuable minutes to the UK attack.
Returning in the midfield are juniors Danielle Slupski and Erin Witchey and senior Amber Wilson. This experienced trio started all 20 games a year ago and figure to see significant minutes once again in 2003. Junior Alli Haeussler returns in 2003 after sitting out last season as a medical redshirt.
The Kentucky defense is once again solidified by seniors Kara McCue and Jen Wilkinson. The pair played in every game in 2002 and provides a stabilizing presence in the defensive backfield. Sophomore Liz Butler, a 2002 Soccer Buzz Freshman All-American, returns in goal for Kentucky after a five-shutout 2002 showing.
After starting the program in 1992, Head Coach Warren Lipka commences the 12th season of Kentucky women’s soccer. Lipka (133-86-10) has led Kentucky to one SEC Championship and NCAA tournament berths in four of the past five seasons.
Lipka returns from a busy summer during which he served two coaching stints overseas as the goalkeepers’ coach with the U.S. Under-19 and Under-21 Women’s National Teams. Under Lipka’s tutelage, the Under-21 team captured the Nordic Cup Crown in Denmark behind a four-match stretch of goaltending excellence by keepers Nicole Barnhart and Ashlyn Harris. The Nordic Cup is widely regarded as the top international competition in Under-21 women’s soccer.
The Davidson Wildcats (0-0-0) meet Kentucky for the first time since 1994 and come to Lexington with a bit of local flavor. Davidson, winless in three matches against UK, features forward and team captain Leigh Anne Hoskins, a graduate of Lexington’s Henry Clay H.S. Sophomore midfielder Cady Blackey, a native of Versailles, Ky., arrived at Davidson from Lexington’s Sayre School.
Kentucky’s match against Davidson marks the first on-campus regular-season event on the 2003 UK athletics calendar as fans will be treated to “Cat Fight Night” at the UK Soccer Complex. Elementary school students who bring in a report card with an “A” grade will be admitted for $1. Families and guests of these students will be admitted for $4. The first 200 fans entering the complex will receive a “Go Big Blue!” water bottle. Fans can participate in the halftime “Qdoba Tortilla Toss” to win cash. UK students will have the chance to compete in a three-legged race at halftime for great prizes as well as the “Free Semester Tuition Shot.”General admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. UK students will be admitted free of charge with their UK student identification card.
