KENTUCKY WOMEN’S SOCCER- Doug Rentz, Media Relations Contact- drent2@uky.edu – (859) 257-3838.
GAGE TO HAEUSSLER SEALS WIN AGAIN FOR No. 23 KENTUCKY
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Warm, cloudy conditions greeted the No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats (3-0-0/1-0-0 Southeastern Conference) to Ann Arbor, Mich. as they defeated the Michigan Wolverines (0-3-0/0-0-0 Big Ten), 2-1, at the U-M Soccer Field on Friday afternoon. For the second game in a row, UK won the game on a corner kick from senior Annie Gage that was put into the net by sophomore Alli Haeussler.
“We’re a type of team that will never quit, we just keep on fighting,” UK Coach Warren Lipka said. We went down one goal and fought back with a goal to tie it. That made the difference in the way we played in the second half. Overall, it was the hard-fought battle that we expected from Michigan.”
Senior goalkeeper Beth Wells garnered five first half saves, including two miraculous stops when UM freshman Liz Dosa drove passed the Wildcat defense twice and was denied by Wells in front of the net. However, the Wolverines were able to penetrate the Cat defense at the 31:30 mark as freshman Kate Morgan dented the UK net on a cross from juniors Carly Williamson and Amy Sullivant. The goal was the first given up by Wells in the first half this season and the first of Morgan’s career.
The Cats were well on their way to their third consecutive scoreless first half until freshman phenom Kathy Fulk answered the Wolverine goal at the 43:45 mark. Being tabbed the “Attack Kat,” Fulk, off an assist from senior Melinda Buemi, rocketed an 18-yard goal to the top left of the net past UM goalie Bre Bennett.
“It’s nice to start out with three wins, but as a team, we’re just happy that we’re improving each game,” Fulk said. This was the most complete game we’ve played all season. We executed and communicated well out there today. I think it’s the best game we’ve played and we’re starting to jell as a team.”
Kentucky then put the same one-two punch on the Wolverines as it put on the Vanderbilt Commodores in last Sunday’s 1-0 SEC win. For the second consecutive game, senior Annie Gage sent in a corner kick and sophomore Alli Haeussler connected for the game-winning goal, putting the Wildcats up, 2-1, at the 56:46 point of the second half.
“Annie has an excellent kick from the corner and I knew where she was going to hit it as she hits it in the same place every time,” Haeussler said. “I just waited, got in position and was able to get a foot on it.”
Kentucky, currently ranked No. 23 nationally by Soccerbuzz.com and 24th by the National Soccer Coaches Association/adidas Coaches Poll, will continue its road swing at Michigan State on Sunday with a 1 p.m. starting time.
UK112Michigan 101Goals: Morgan, UM (Williamson, Sullivant), 31:31, Fulk, UK (Buemi), 43:45, Haeussler, UK (Gage), 55:45.Shots- UK: 8, UM: 7Saves- UK: 6, UM: 6Corner Kicks- UK: 5, UM 4
– UK –
