BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ? The University of Kentucky women?s soccer team showed signs of progress again on Saturday, Feb. 25, after running through the competition at the Indiana University Indoor Invitational, posting a 3-0 record while conceding only one goal on the day. The 50-minute games were played in the John Mellencamp Pavillion on the IU campus.
The Cats kicked things off in the opener taking on the host Hoosiers. Sophomore Kelsey Fenix got UK on the board after freshman Nicola Holdsworth kept a Wildcat corner kick alive in the box by winning a tackle. Holdsworth tallied a goal of her own after receiving a double assist from sophomores Sarah Gaunt and Callie Lanphier to make the final margin 2-0 in favor of Kentucky. Returning netminder Anne Ogundele recorded three saves as she went the distance against the Big Ten foe for the shutout.
Two hours later, UK dominated the U17 Dynamo 89 squad. The club team out of Indianapolis provided another tough challenge for the Cats, but was unable to weather the storm as Kentucky took the 4-0 win. The first three Wildcat goals came by way of assists by UK freshman defenders. Gaunt got things started as she got on the end of a Kristin Kover long ball and slotted it home for a 1-0 UK lead. Sophomore Megan Jones then added a goal off a Kate Hughes assist, as did Lanphier off a Tara Herold assist. Junior Betsy Holbrook rounded out the scoring after getting on the end of sophomore Ashley Menick?s pass.
Freshman goalkeeper Cheryl Gilligan got the shutout for the Wildcats after recording three saves. Gilligan made her debut in goal for the Cats the previous weekend at the UK 9v9 Invitational where she gave up only one goal in three victories for the UK Blue squad.
Kentucky battled the Butler Bulldogs out of the Horizon League in their last match of the day. UK dominated much of the play early, but could not crack the Bulldog defense for a goal. It was Butler who found the back of the net first with 19 minutes left when a ball served in from a direct kick found the head of a Bulldog attacker and beat Ogundele for the 1-0 lead. The Cats responded five minutes later when Menick took a Jones pass and beat a pair of Bulldog defenders and the BU keeper for the equalizer. With six minutes left, Holbrook found Holdsworth for the game winner. The Cats? defense held on for the win. Ogundele and Gilligan split time in goal, as they recorded two saves and one save, respectively.
?While results of spring matches are not a huge deal, one of our focal points in competitions this spring is to learn how to finish games; how to win games,? said head coach Warren Lipka. ?I think we showed progress in this area today, as we won in three different situations. We shut out a solid Big Ten opponent in their home facility. We did not allow a good club team to hang around and keep the match close and we fought back against a quality Butler team after going down a goal and after a long day of soccer. Our fitness level allowed us to compete at a high level throughout the day. These are all positive things as we continue to develop a winning mentality.?
The next month for the Cats includes three weeks of training and a week off for spring break. They return to action on March 25 at the ACC/SEC Challenge in Blacksburg, Va. Kentucky will face Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
