The University of Kentucky women?s soccer team dominated at Mississippi State today, Oct. 23, with a Southeastern Conference tournament berth on the line. UK downed the Bulldogs by a final of 4-1 to clinch a spot in the upcoming tourney and improve to 7-4-7 on the year and 3-4-3 in the league. MSU falls to 3-11-3 overall and 2-8 in conference play.
With the win, the Wildcats continue their league-record streak of playing in every SEC Tournament in the history of the event. This will be the 13th consecutive trip to the conference tourney for Kentucky.
The four goals give the Wildcats their highest scoring output in SEC play this season and the most since a 7-1 win over Bellarmine on Sept. 6 in Lexington. It was the most goals in a conference game since scoring four goals against Alabama on Oct. 10, 2003, when Kentucky beat Alabama 4-1.
Sophomores Callie Lanphier and Nathalie Bolder got the scoring started early for the Wildcats as Lanphier tallied her fourth goal of the season during the third minute when she scored on a rebound off a Bulldog defender in front of the goal. Bolder assisted on the goal that gave UK the 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs tied the score in the 12th minute when Heather Ammann headed a pass from Betty Ann Casey past UK?s Anne Ogundele to knot the score at a goal apiece.
Lanphier added her second goal of the half as she punted a delivery from sophomore Sarah Gaunt past the MSU keeper to lift the Cats to a 2-1 advantage. Lanphier?s fifth goal of the season came in the 19th minute.
Freshman Kate Hughes made it a 3-1 lead as she scored her fourth goal of the year on a pass from sophomore Megan Jones which she fired across the goal past the far post in the 33rd minute.
The three first-half goals match a season-high for the Cats who also scored three times in the opening period of play against Bellarmine. Kentucky outshot MSU 9-4 in the first half, including seven shots on goal to just two for the Bulldogs.
The Wildcats added their fourth and final goal in the second period as Kelsey Fenix found the back of the net during the 75th minute. Fenix and Hughes fired back-to-back shots on goal until Fenix eventually put it past the MSU keeper to give the Cats the 4-1 lead.
?This is the first 90-minute game we?ve played this year,? said head coach Warren Lipka. ?We were solid all-around. We had good attacking and we played good defense. I?m happy that we fought through in such an important match.?
The Wildcats return to action Friday, Oct. 28, as they wrap up the regular season at No. 20 Vanderbilt. Game time is set for 8 p.m. in Nashville.
