Nov. 15, 2002
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team was shutout 1-0 by No. 22 Cincinnati in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in cold, rainy conditions at the Tennessee Soccer Complex Friday. The loss to the Bearcats (17-3-3) finishes the Wildcats’ season at 11-9-0.
“I said at halftime if they were going to score it would be on a free kick or set play,” Coach Warren Lipka said. “We were playing well in the back tonight – I am very disappointed that I was correct on their goal. Taking nothing away from Cincinnati, we definitely played well enough to win this match tonight.”
The Bearcats executed the first serious scoring opportunity of the night when Heather Herweh sent a free kick into the UK box and Tasha Wagner’s header from point-blank range ricocheted off the crossbar with 12 minutes to play in the first half. Kentucky answered minutes later when Lauren Russell fed a streaking Elizabeth Ramsey on a breakaway down the right flank, but the All-Southeastern Conference forward’s shot was knocked away safely by a UC defender.
The clubs traded possessions evenly on the rain-soaked pitch for the remainder of the half and went into intermission scoreless. The Wildcats led in shots, 6-3, and took one corner kick to UC’s none. UK goalkeeper Liz Butler and UC netminder Tracy Hale each recorded a save.
It took UC only three minutes to dent the net in the second period, as Rachel Lieberman sent a corner kick into a crowd in front of the UK net and Amy Simonson’s header bounced past Bulter inches to the right of the left post at 48:04.
Kentucky appeared to have the equalizer when Kristen Jedlo broke away from the UC defense and was challenged one-on-one with Hale 25 yards out of the box. Hale was able to block the freshman’s shot and UC cleared safely after the missed opportunity with 26 minutes remaining. Simonson’s goal proved to be the game-winner as UK falls to 0-6-0 overall in NCAA Tournament games.
1 2 FKentucky 0 0 0Cincinnati 0 1 1
Scoring: Simonson, UC (Lieberman), 48:04Shots: UK 13, UC 12Saves: UK 2, UC 5Corner Kicks: UK 2, UC 2Fouls: UK 10, UC 18Attendance: 348
– UK –
