Aug. 30, 2001
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WOMEN’S SOCCERMEDIA CONTACT: Doug Rentz – drent2@uky.edu – (859) 257-3838
For Immediate Release: August 30, 2001
KENTUCKY TO PLAY HOST TO MARSHALL IN SEASON OPENERLEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team begins its 10th season as it plays host to Marshall to open the 2001 regular season on Friday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. The Wildcats hold a 1-0 series lead against the Thundering Herd, winning 3-0 at the UK Soccer Complex on Sept. 16, 1999.
“Marshall returns 11 starters and Teresa (Patterson) is a very organized and hard working coach,” UK Coach Warren Lipka said. “I know she will have her team well prepared and ready to play us Friday evening.”
The Wildcats, currently ranked No. 25 nationally by Soccerbuzz.com, posted a 15-6 overall record and a 6-3 mark in the Southeastern Conference in 2000. In its only exhibition game of the preseason, Kentucky defeated Wright State, 3-0, on Saturday, Aug. 25. UK had standout performances from senior midfielder Suzie Ledzianowski, junior forward Keri Boyce and freshman forward Kathy Fulk. All three Wildcats had a goal and an assist in the UK victory.
“This is the most talented squad I’ve had in my 10 years at UK,” Lipka said. “We are top-to-bottom solid at each position and our athletes are ambitious to get the season started.”
Marshall, coming off an 8-10-1 overall record and a 3-7-1 Mid-American Conference mark, is led by one of the league’s most prolific players in sophomore midfielder Amanda McMahon. McMahon, a first-team All-MAC selection as well as the MAC Newcomer of the Year in 2000, led the conference in points per game (1.88) while setting MU single-season records for points (32) and goals (14) as a freshman.
“McMahon is a very talented player and we’ll have to contain her as much as possible from attacking our net,” Lipka said. “We just have to come out and start quickly – we can’t wait until the second half. We must play with speed and tenacity all 90 minutes to defeat Marshall.”
Boyce, a first-team All-SEC selection last year and the 1999 SEC Freshman of the Year, returns for her third season to anchor the Cats’ offensive attack. One of nine UK returning starters, Boyce has started in all 42 games in her career and netted 31 points as a result of her team-leading 11 goals and nine assists in 2000. Senior forward Annie Gage also returns to the lineup. A 2000 SEC All-Tournament team member, Gage owns UK single-season records for goals (15 in 1999), assists (11 in 2000) and points (39 in 1999).
The Wildcats will complete the weekend slate at Vanderbilt on Sunday, Sept. 2 in their first SEC competition of the season. Last year, the Cats defeated the Commodores, 3-2, in double overtime as Boyce kicked in the game-winner to seal the win on Aug. 27, 2000. Sunday’s game time is set for 2 p.m. ET.
– UK –
