Oct. 25, 2001

UK PLAYS HOST TO ALABAMA IN FINAL WEEKEND OF SEC PLAY

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team (9-6-0/3-4-0 Southeastern Conference) will play host to Alabama (10-4-1/2-3-1 SEC) on Friday, Oct. 26 at the UK Soccer Complex in a 7 p.m. SEC match. The Wildcats can move one step closer to clinching a berth in the SEC Tournament with a victory over the Crimson Tide.

“This is an important weekend for us as no team in the conference has been mathematically eliminated from postseason play,” Coach Warren Lipka said. “We control our own destiny. If we beat Alabama and Auburn, we go to the SEC Tournament and anything can happen from there.”

This weekend marks the final weekend of SEC regular season matches. Kentucky can clinch a SEC postseason berth by defeating Alabama and Auburn this weekend. Alabama can earn postseason play by winning at Vanderbilt and Kentucky, and can win the SEC West title by winning its three remaining games, Ole Miss losing two games and Mississippi State losing once. The ninth-annual SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament will be hosted by LSU on Nov. 8-11 in Baton Rouge, La.

UK snapped a three-game conference losing streak with a 2-1 victory over SEC West leading Ole Miss on Friday, Oct. 19 but faltered against Mississippi State on Sunday, Oct. 21, losing a 2-1decision in overtime.It was the Wildcats’ third one-goal loss in four games and their second overtime loss in three games.

Senior Annie Gage became UK’s all-time shots leader with 188, eclipsing Carrie Staber’s mark of 185 set between 1995-98. The Westerville, Ohio native and 2001 team captain also ascended into sole possession of second place on UK’s career goals list by scoring the game-winner against Ole Miss and Kentucky’s lone goal in its overtime loss at Mississippi State. Gage’s 29 career goals are surpassed only by Kim LaBelle’s mark of 44 scored from 1994-97.

Freshman forward Kathy Fulk returned to the Wildcat lineup after being sidelined last weekend with a concussion suffered in UK’s 5-1 loss at Florida. The freshman phenom opened the scoring with a first period goal against Ole Miss and assisted Gage’s goal in Sunday’s match at Mississippi State.

The Wildcats will complete the weekend slate by playing host to Auburn (7-5-1/3-3-0 SEC) at the UK Soccer Complex on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.

– UK –