Sept. 8, 2009
UK Game Notes vs. Morehead St. (.pdf)
LEXINGTON, KY – After opening the season with four straight home matches, the UK women’s soccer team (2-1-1) takes to the road for the first time in 2009, heading 64 miles east on Interstate 64 to take on the Morehead State Eagles (2-4-0).
A familiar face on the Morehead State bench will be former UK head coach Warren Lipka who spent 17 years on the Kentucky sidelines where he amassed a 182-139-30 record. UK claimed the 1995 and 2006 SEC Tournament championships under Lipka who was named the league’s coach of the year in 1995, `99 and `06.
The Wildcats enter the match looking stop a two-game winless slide that includes a 1-0 loss to ninth-ranked Wake Forest and a 0-0 tie against Akron, both over the weekend.
“Our goal at this point of the season is to get better every day,” said UK head coach Jon Lipsitz. “Every time we get to match up against a new opponent, it’s a good chance to test ourselves and find out if we’re continuing in the right direction. This should be a great match to test us as our first road game.”
Lipsitz has every reason to pleased with the defensive effort the Wildcats have given, having allowed only two goals in four matches this season, while recording two shutouts. However, it’s the ability to finish around the goal that Lipsitz wants to see more improvement in.
“One of things I’ve really liked has been our backline,” said Lipsitz. “Our backline and our goalkeeping has been our strength so far this year. I think they’ve shown great leadership and it shows up in the stats. We need to get much more consistent in our finishing and more consistent in understanding our roles and doing them to the best of our abilities. I think consistency is something that really is what we’re focusing on the most so we know day in and day out exactly what we’re going to look like on the field. At the same time, I don’t think it’s surprising because we’re a new group being together and it’s going to take some time. We’ve done some great things, but we just need to get more consistency out of more players than just our backline.”
Kentucky is led offensively by junior Giuleana Lopez and sophomore Jenna Goblirsch with three points on a goal and an assist. Both goals have been game-winners for Kentucky, Goblirsch’s goal coming against Cincinnati and Lopez’s goal against Louisville.
Sydney Hiance leads the Wildcats in goal with a 0.47 goals-against-average, sixth best in the league. The UK defense has surrendered only two goals thus far this season, ranking fourth in the SEC in that category.
The Wildcats and the Eagles are scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at Jayne Stadium.
