Oct. 13, 2001

No. 24 KENTUCKY PLAYS HOST TO No. 19 TENNESSEE

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 24th-ranked University of Kentucky women’s soccer team (8-4-0/2-2-0 Southeastern Conference) will play host to 19th-ranked Tennessee (6-4-1/2-1-0 SEC) on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. at the UK Soccer Complex. The Wildcats own a 4-1-0 series lead over the Lady Volunteers, including a 2-0 home mark.

“We are not where we want to be at the midpoint of our season- we must get our problems fixed quickly as there are still several important games to be played,” UK coach Warren Lipka said. “There’s a lot on the line Sunday. We have no choice but to answer Friday’s loss with a win- it’s the time of year when a bad loss can severely damage your postseason hopes.”

After outscoring its opponent 20-3 en route to a 7-0-0 start, the best in the program’s 10-year history, UK has lost four of its past five games and has been outscored 9-2 in that span. On Friday night, the Wildcats squandered several scoring opportunities against No. 20 Georgia and were shutout, 1-0, surrendering the game-winning goal with 1:45 to go in regulation. It was third consecutive scoreless home performance for Kentucky.

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” senior defender Annie Gage said. “We were ready to play and felt we had a very good chance of beating them- it’s a tough loss anytime you give up a game-winner in the last couple of minutes. We’re not out of it by any means, and we have to pull together as a team and get right back out there and beat Tennessee on Sunday.”

Tennessee improved its record to 6-4-1 with a 2-1 victory over Vanderbilt on Friday night in Nashville. Freshman midfielder Keeley Dowling recorded the game-winning goal, her third of the season, to lead UT past VU. Dowling has tallied seven goals and 16 points on the season, both Tennessee team highs.

– UK –