The Kentucky women?s soccer team?s season can be broken down into three separate seasons, with the first season, the non-conference portion, having just been concluded and now it?s time to get to the second season, league play.
How UK fares in league play will determine whether they will have a third season, the postseason.
The Wildcats posted a 5-3-1 record in non-conference play, a mark head coach Warren Lipka is very pleased with heading into SEC play this weekend at Arkansas (7-1-0) and LSU (5-4-0).
?I?m real happy with our (non-conference performance),? said Lipka. ?I think the first early losses can be attributed to not having a preseason game and ironing some things out because if you look at where people are now compared to where they were in the beginning there have been a lot of changes; changes for the better obviously, because we?re getting positive results. I think the last five game stretch, giving up one goal in five games, was awesome. Now we need to get our legs back underneath us so we can get back on the attacking side of the game.?
Kentucky opens the conference season on Friday night in Fayetteville, Arkansas against the Lady Razorbacks, a team UK has had a lot success against in the past. The Wildcats own an 8-2-1 record against the Lady ?Backs, however Lipka knows that it doesn?t matter who the opponent is because each conference match is going to be a difficult challenge.
?It?s a different mentality in preparing for these games because you?re going to battle each and every game,? said Lipka. ?Everybody prepares themselves to play well in the conference. Those non-conference games were games that you want to win and get a leg up and correct some things. But the conference games are the ones that people are using to get into the SEC Tournament and finalize to get into the NCAA Tournament. I don?t care what your record is up to conference play; each and every one of the matches is going to be a battle.?
Following the Friday night affair, the team will head to Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Tigers, another team against whom UK has met with a lot of success. The Cats own an 8-0-1 record in that series, but Lipka knows that?s all in the past and the Tigers have a young but dangerous squad.
?They?re a young team with a lot of talent and it?s just a matter of time before that talent starts to develop,? said Lipka. ?They?re going to be a team to be reckoned with this season and beyond.?
Freshman Giuleana Lopez leads the Cats with nine points (three goals, three assists). Sarah Gaunt is tied for the team lead with three goals while Megan Jones shares the team lead with three assists.
Senior goalie Anne Ogundele anchors the Wildcat defense with her SEC best 38 saves and five shutouts. She also ranks second in the conference with a 0.53 goals-against-average.
She recently recorded four straight shutouts and has allowed just one goal in her last 470 minutes.
The Cats and Lady Razorbacks are scheduled to kickoff Friday night at 8:00 p.m. ET followed by Sunday?s affair at LSU which is slated for a 2:00 p.m. ET start.
