Rapp’s Goal Propels Kentucky to SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
PENSACOLA, Fla. – With an 11th minute goal from Catherine Rapp and a second consecutive shutout, (6) Kentucky (12-4-3, 5-2-3 SEC) knocked off (11) Florida (6-7-5, 2-3-5 SEC), 1-0, in the First Round of the 2025 Southeastern Conference Soccer Tournament.
With the victory, the Wildcats have now won 12 matches in a season for the first time in the four years under Head Coach Troy Fabiano, with half of those victories coming against league opposition. The victory was also the first win in the SEC Tournament since the 2014 semifinals, with Kentucky only advancing once in that stretch via a draw and penalty kicks. Fabiano is now 1-2-1 in the league tournament.
The Wildcats were able to jump to an early lead, scoring in the first 11 minutes of a match for the eighth time this season. Anna Sikorski was able to play a ball from near midfield to Tanner Strickland, who was waiting just outside the 18-yard box. Strickland was able to take a touch past multiple defenders and find Kendall Campbell on the right wing, who distributed a perfect cross along the ground to Rapp. Waiting at the back post, Rapp was able to deliver a clean, first touch finish to give her team the advantage.
The goal was the first for Rapp since August 31 and her first career goal against an SEC opponent, marking her sixth tally of the season. On the assists, Strickland picked up her team-leading seventh dime of the year while Campbell tallied her first assist as a Wildcat.
With a goal in hand, the Wildcats were content to defend their lead. Kentucky’s only shot on goal for the rest of the match came in the 20th minute as Alexis Tylenda found space on the right wing and forced a diving save from the Florida keeper.
Despite losing the possession battle for only the third time this season and being outshot by the Gators, Kentucky was dominant on the defensive end, allowing zero shots on target. Megan Holland, despite not having to make a save in the match, was clinical in frame, dominating her airspace on multiple occasions. Picking up her second career shutout—with both coming in the last two matches—Holland has not allowed a goal from the run of play in 330 minutes of game action.
Kentucky will now meet No. 3 seed—and United Soccer Coaches No. 17—Georgia in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals. The match will take place at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 4 on SEC Network. The Wildcats and Bulldogs have already met once this season, with Georgia claiming a narrow, 1-0 victory in Athens.
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