Sept. 9, 2001
NO. 23 KENTUCKY AT MICHIGAN STATEOLD COLLEGE FIELDSUNDAY, SEPT. 9, 2001
No. 23 KENTUCKY BLANKS MICHIGAN STATE, 6-0.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The 23rd ranked Kentucky Wildcats presented UK Coach Warren Lipka his 37th birthday gift in the form of a 6-0 victory over the Michigan State Spartans at Old College Field on Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats remain unbeaten on the season, improving their record to 4-0.
“It’s a good feeling being 4-0 but what I really like is the consistent improvement we have made from each game,” Lipka said. “We are communicating and executing better than we have been all season.”
With the 2-1 victory at Michigan on Friday, Sept. 7, Kentucky is off to its best start in its 10-year history. The previous best start for the Wildcats was a 2-0 beginning in 1992, 1994, 1996, and 2000.
The Wildcats struck first as All-SEC forward Keri Boyce took a pass from sophomore Kara McCue and sent it past MSU goalie Stacy Heller at the 30:39 mark of the first half. It was the first goal of the season by Boyce who led UK in goals scored (11) and points (31) in 2000.
The Cats did not wait long to garner their second goal, as UK’s “Attack Kat”, freshman phenom Kathy Fulk, once again worked her magic. Stealing the ball away from a Spartan defender, Fulk sent a pass to Boyce and from there, Boyce gave it up to sophomore Amber Wilson who found the MSU net at the 25:18 mark in the first period.
“Attack Kat” struck again at the 20:15 point as she took a pass from senior Melinda Buemi and dented the MSU goal. It was Fulk’s third goal of the season and the second time in as many games that Buemi has fed Fulk to earn a UK goal.
“I just take what the defense gives me and what my teammates create for me,” Fulk said. We battle hard and work together as a team out there, and I’ve been able to be in the right place at the right time.”
UK wasted no time to score in the second half, as Boyce and Wilson fed senior Suzie Ledzianowski for her second goal of the season with 44:22 on the clock, making the score 4-0 in favor of the Cats. At the 22:28 point of the second, “Attack Kat” said hello to MSU goalkeeper Stacy Heller once again, as Fulk put in her second goal of the game off a pass from Boyce, putting UK up 5-0.
Sophomore Kim Jedlo finished the scoring, as she scored her first goal as a Wildcat with 15 seconds left in the game off a pass from sophomore Jen Wilkinson. Senior Beth Wells notched her second shutout of the season (1-0 at Vanderbilt, Sept. 2) and the 16th of her career in the 6-0 Wildcat win.
The Wildcats will continue their road swing next weekend as they travel to Los Angeles, Calif. for the Loyola Maramount Fila Challenge. UK will face host LMU on Friday, Sept. 14 at 10 p.m. ET and will battle the Women of Troy from Southern California on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. ET.
– UK –
