Sept. 16, 2013

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky women’s soccer player Arin Gilliland was named this week’s Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week after scoring seven points in Kentucky’s 1-0 win over the University of Texas at San Antonio and 4-2 victory at No. 10 West Virginia, it was announced by the league office on Monday morning. 

Gilliland was involved as either the goal scorer or the primary assister on all five of Kentucky’s goals this weekend. She scored three of the five UK goals, including two in Kentucky’s win at West Virginia on Sunday afternoon.

The Lexington, Ky., native scored 10 seconds into Sunday’s match, from 30 yards out to give the Wildcats the 1-0 lead, and then also scored on a penalty that gave UK the insurance goal they needed to hammer down the first win over a top-10 team in the Jon Lipsitz era.

Gilliland, the SEC’s assist, and assist-per-game leader also had three assists on the weekend including both game-winning goals. On Friday, Gilliland connected with junior Stuart Pope for the game-winning goal in UK’s 1-0 win over UTSA in the 62nd minute.

In Sunday’s match, Gilliland assisted on the game-winning goal to Zoe Swift, who rifled a shot past the diving keeper to put Kentucky up 3-1 at the time early in the second half. 

This is Gilliland’s first weekly honor by the SEC in 2013, and fourth overall honor of her career and third for UK this season.

Kentucky next travels to Auburn, Ala., for the SEC opener at the Auburn Tigers on Friday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.

For continuing coverage of UK women’s soccer, log on to UKathletics.com.