NCAA Match Notes
Nov. 14, 2002
The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team will make its sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament when it travels to Knoxville to face No. 22 Cincinnati in first-round action Friday.
Match time between the Wildcats (11-8-0) and Bearcats (16-3-3) is set for 5:30 p.m. ET at the Tennessee Soccer Complex, with No. 11 Tennessee (16-5-1) and Furman (16-5-1) to follow in the nightcap at 8 p.m. ET. The winners will meet on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. ET for a berth to the Sweet 16.
“Cincinnati is always a very well-organized and disciplined team,” Coach Warren Lipka said. “Coach (Meridy) Glenn has been around for quite a while and has led many of her teams to postseason play. She knows what to expect and what to have them do to get ready for this.”
Lipka (South Carolina, ’86) is in his 11th season since being named UK’s first head coach in 1992. He has compiled a 133-85-10 (.605) record at the helm of the Wildcats, including an 8-13-1 overall postseason mark. The dean of Southeastern Conference coaches is searching for his first win the NCAA Tournament (0-5-0). The reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year, Meridy Glenn (Brown, ’80) has been at her post in the Queen City for 20 years. She brings a 229-126-27 record into the tournament. Glenn has directed the Bearcats to six NCAA appearances and has claimed the C-USA Tournament title the past two seasons.
In the series, UK owns a 5-4-0 series lead over UC with all nine matches played in the regular season. The two schools have not met since Aug. 25, 2000, as UK shutout UC, 2-0, in Lexington. Elizabeth Ramsey scored UK’s insurance goal as the Cats outshot the Bearcats, 18-1, in the season-opener two years ago.
The Wildcats look to put an NCAA Tournament match in the win column for the first time. Making its inaugural appearance in the “Big Dance” after claiming the 1995 SEC Tournament championship, UK earned at-large berths in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2001, but has gone 0-5-0 in five tries.
Big Blue has suffered overtime setbacks in its previous two NCAA matches, falling 3-2 to Texas A&M at the UK Soccer Complex in 1999 and 1-0 at Clemson in 2001.
Directions to Tennessee Soccer Complex from the North
Enter Knoxville on I-75 South to I-275 South. Take the I-40 East exit toward Asheville. Once on I-40, take the James White Parkway exit. Follow signs to Neyland Drive. Drive approximately 1.5 miles on Neyland Drive and turn right on Leinard Lane. After crossing the second set of railroad tracks, the field will be on your left.
– UK –
