Women’s Soccer Returns Home for Murray State Test
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s soccer (5-0-0) returns to the Bell Soccer Complex this Thursday boasting a historic 5-0 start to the season for the first time since 2012. The Wildcats look to keep their good fortune going as they host in-state foe Murray State (3-2-1) with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The match will be televised as well on SECN+.
The Wildcats enter the match after winning in their first road match of the season, defeating Illinois 2-1 last Saturday. The Wildcats outshot the Fighting Illini 10-8 with five shots on goal to their three. Kentucky forced four saves out of the home side while the corner battle remained even at four apiece. Both sides had 15 fouls throughout the match with Kentucky seeing two cautions.
After 20 minutes of knocking on the door, the Wildcats found the back of the net through Illinois transfer Makala Woods, making it 1-0 against her former team. The goal came after Kentucky won the ball in the midfield with Mallory Glass passing forward to Maddie Kemp in space a little past the midfield circle on the near side. Kemp took a touch, turned, and placed her pass between the Illinois defenders finding a running Woods who shrugged off her former teammate, placing her shot into the far corner. It marks Glass’ and Kemp’s first assists of the season and Woods’ third goal of the year.
The Wildcats entered the half on top at 1-0 and doubled the advantage after seven minutes with Grace Hoytink dribbling past her defender on the wing and into the box. Hoytink put a cross into the near post that connected with an Illinois center-back and fell into the net for a 2-0 Wildcat lead.
The Fighting Illini got a goal back seven minutes later with a good strike that beat Marz Josephson hitting the far post and landing in the goal. It was all they would get though as the Wildcats locked it down defensively in the final 15 minutes earning their fifth-straight victory to start 2024.
The offense and goal production have been solid to start the season for the Wildcats. The team currently ranks in the top 10 in the country and third in the Southeastern Conference in shots per game averaging 22 while also ranking in the top 50 in the nation and fifth in the SEC with 12 goals scored in five games so far.
Should the Wildcats earn the victory on Thursday, it’ll mark the first time the program has started a season 6-0 in 13 years, last doing so in 2011. It could also mark the first time Head Coach Troy Fabiano has won six straight games as Head Coach of the Wildcats.
Former Kentucky men’s soccer All-American and four-year letterwinner Matt Lodge brings his Murray State Racers to Lexington after defeating UT-Martin 6-1 on Sunday. It was the highest scoreline of the season for the Racers and marked their second win in a row after they defeated Austin Peay 4-1 in the game prior. Murray State is led by junior forward Sydney Etter who has three goals in six games and has scored in the past two games.
Season tickets for all Kentucky soccer men’s and women’s home games can be purchased here, while single-game tickets are available here.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on Facebook, Instagram, X and at UKathletics.com.
