Wildcats Drop 2-0 Decision to No. 20 Ohio State
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky (6-2-0) faced its first ranked opponent of the season on Sunday, falling to No. 20 Ohio State (4-1-1) by a score of 2-0. The Wildcats outshot the Buckeyes, 13-7, but were unable to find a goal for the first time this season.
A brace from All-Big Ten First Team member Amanda Schleuter proved to be the difference, with the Buckeye forward scoring in the 4th minute and 82 minute to account for both her team’s goals.
Schleuter was able to take advantage of an early failed clearance, receiving the ball and the box and shooting on frame, scoring as the ball deflected off a Wildcat defender into net.
The visitors were almost able to double the lead, but starting Kentucky goalkeeper Megan Holland came off her line to save a Buckeye header in the 11th minute. From this point, Kentucky would find its groove and begin to control possession.
Late first-half developments saw a Sophie Harlan shot go just wide and a Kendall Campbell header bounce off the far post and out, keeping the match at 1-0 in favor of Ohio State entering the halftime break.
In the second half, the Wildcats were able to control the possession, ending up with a 53% favorable mark by the final whistle. Anna Sikorski was able to shoot a couple attempts on frame from the edge of the 18-yard box, but both tries were saved.
A transition opportunity for Ohio State in the late stages of the match put the contest out of reach, as Jacinda Bonham controlled the ball off a turnover and failed clearance, passing to Schlueter who placed the ball out of reach of Khadijah Cissé and into the bottom right corner of the net.
Kentucky will close its season-opening nine-match homestand on Friday, September 12, hosting No. 19 Oklahoma for its SEC opener. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network +. Admission to all 2025 Kentucky Soccer regular season home matches will be free to the public.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on Facebook, Instagram, X and at UKathletics.com.
