Oct. 24, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team will conclude its 2013 regular season home slate of matches on Friday and Sunday, as the Wildcats play host to the Missouri Tigers at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday and the LSU Tigers at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
There are just three match days left in the Southeastern Conference season, with Kentucky right in the middle of the championship chase. Texas A&M currently tops the SEC table, sitting on 21 points, with UK and Florida just three points shy of the Aggies. Texas A&M and Florida play in Gainesville on Sunday afternoon live on ESPNU at 3:00 p.m. ET.
The Wildcats are coming off a 1-1-0 weekend at Florida and Alabama. Kentucky picked up a 4-2 win in Tuscaloosa thanks to an Arin Gilliland hat trick, her second in three games. The junior from Lexington, Ky., scored three first-half goals en route to the win and put Kentucky 6-2-0 in the SEC for 2013.
Overall, the Wildcats sit at 12-3-1 and are currently slotted No. 28 in the NCAA RPI. Kentucky is ranked in both major polls, checking in at No. 25 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Coaches’ Poll, and No. 22 in the weekly release of the Soccer America poll.
Friday night’s match with Missouri marks just the fifth all-time meeting between the two sides, with Mizzou holding the 2-1-1 lead in the series. The Tigers won both matches with the Wildcats in 2012. In the regular season meeting in Columbia, Kentucky scored late in the second half to tie the match and send it into overtime, where Alyssa Diggs scored the game-winner in the first overtime to seal the win. In the SEC Tournament, Mizzou scored two first-half goals to win the match 2-1 in the quarterfinals. In the series’ only all-time meeting in Lexington, Kentucky won 1-0 back in 2004.
Sunday afternoon will be Senior Day, as the Wildcats will recognize its five seniors that comprise the class of 2013. Kayla King, Danielle Krohn, Kacie Kumar, Caitlin Landis and Ashley VanLandingham will be playing their final regular-season matches at the UK Soccer Complex on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET against the LSU Tigers.
LSU is six points off the Texas A&M Aggies, as the Tigers sit at 5-0-1 and on 16 points entering the weekend’s action.
In 2012, Kentucky beat LSU in Baton Rouge, La., 2-1 in overtime on a hot, humid Sunday afternoon in the Bayou. Courtney Raetzman scored from 20 yards out in the first overtime, as she rifled a shot that hit the inner edge of the crossbar and it fell across the line to clinch the road result.
UK Soccer Complex Game Day
Due to the ongoing construction of the $7.7 million renovations to the UK Soccer Complex, University of Kentucky soccer fans will experience some slight modifications to the game day experience during the 2013 season.
Tickets
Fans will be admitted into all games for the 2013 season for free for the duration of the season. Fans will also be allowed to re-enter the complex after initial entrance.
Seating
Seating will be all general admission for the season and seating will all be located behind the team benches on the grassy area opposite the construction site. Fans will be invited to bring their own chairs and blankets to enjoy the action. There will also be seating located behind the goals on each side of the facility, similar to years past.
Construction
Construction will be ongoing for most of the season, and the grandstand side of the facility will be shut down for the entirety of the season. Only credentialed members of the UK staff will be allowed over to that side of the complex.
Facility Entrance
All fans will be entering and exiting the facility using the existing student entrance located between the game field and the practice field. The existing entrance main gate will be shut down and fans will not be able to enter the facility through those gates, as they will be closed during the construction process.
Parking
Fans will be able to park in one of three locations for the season. The first-arriving fans will receive access to the gravel lot located directly across from the main gate. Once that lot is filled, fans will be directed to park in the lot that borders the practice field off of College Way. In addition, similar to softball parking in 2013, there will be parking on the west side of College Way in the grassy area between the soccer/softball complex and Commonwealth Stadium. When there are no further available spots, fans will park in select lots of Commonwealth Stadium, which is in walking distance of the UK Soccer Complex. Parking lots will open three hours prior to game time. Handicapped parking will remain as seasons past, as they will be able to park near the main gate in the paved lot.
For continuing coverage of UK women’s soccer, log on to UKathletics.com.
