Oct. 26, 2001
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team (10-6-0/4-4-0 Southeastern Conference) ended its four-game home scoreless skid in style by defeating Alabama (10-5-1/2-4-1 SEC), 7-1, at the UK Soccer Complex on Friday night. Senior Annie Gage recorded a hat trick, scoring three consecutive goals while freshman forward Kathy Fulk came off the bench to assist on three Wildcat scores and knock home the game-winning goal.
“We were due to have a game like this,” UK coach Warren Lipka said. “We’ve been battling so hard and have missed so many scoring opportunities and finally it all came together all at once. We executed and got after it the entire game. We played our best soccer since we were undefeated at the end of September.”
After tallying only five goals in their past eight games, the Wildcats exploded with seven goals and 23 shots on the Crimson Tide, the highest scoring output of the season since posting a 6-0 shutout at Michigan State on Sept. 9. Kentucky garnered nine assists in its SEC victory, breaking the single-game assists record of eight set in a 9-0 win over Bellarmine on Oct. 29, 1992.
Senior Kate Qually got the party started for UK by placing a header past UA goalkeeper Courtney Rose at the 18:05 mark of the first half. The goal was a result of a cross on a free kick from Gage and sophomore Alli Haeussler passed to an open Qually in front of the Bama net. Twenty minutes later, Fulk recorded her team-leading sixth goal by rocketing a 22-yard shot from Gage past Rose to the top left of the net. The freshman phenom also tied the UK single-game assists mark with three on the night.
The Cats led 2-0 at the half before Gage went to work by attacking the Alabama net with swift footwork and crafty moves, sending three consecutive second-half goals past Rose to secure the UK victory, its fourth in six games over Alabama. Junior Kim Jedlo dished out two assists in that span and freshman defender Jamie Hutchison earned her first career assist on Gage’s third goal. Michelle Evans kept the goose egg off the visitor side of the scoreboard by completing a corner kick from senior defender Danielle Watson at the 76:47 mark of the second half.
Sophomore midfielder Heather Saas scored her first goal at the UK Soccer Complex at 77:49 and sophomore forward Lauren Russell recorded her first career goal as a Wildcat to finish the scoring at the 83:29 mark. Both goals were assisted by Kathy Fulk. Aimee Brown, Melinda Buemi, and Kara McCue played tenacious defense, keeping the Tide from rising. UK held UA to only three shots on goal, while senior goalkeeper Beth Wells finished with two saves.
UA 0 1 1UK 2 5 7Goals: Qually, UK (Gage, Haeussler), 18:05, Fulk, UK (Gage), 37:12, Gage, UK (Qually, Fulk), 49:17, Gage (Jedlo), 73:38, Gage (Jedlo, Hutchison), 74:48, Evans, UA (Watson), 76:47, Saas, UK (Fulk), 77:49, Russell, UK (Fulk), 88:29.Shots: UK- 23, UA- 3Saves: UK- 2, UA- 9Corner Kicks: UK- 3, UA- 1Fouls: UK- 14, UA- 12Attendance: 597
– UK –
