Sept. 27, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer fell to the Arkansas Razorbacks, 3-0, on Friday night at the UK Soccer Complex.
“Tonight was about the little details,” UK head coach Jon Lipsitz said. “Everything we talked about in the scouting report and everything we worked on was gone at the beginning of the game. We had more than enough opportunities to score a huge number of goals, but we shot everything near post and wide. We had an own goal, and the game kind of blows up on you. We came out flat and Arkansas punished us.”
Arkansas (8-2-0, 1-1-1 SEC) got goals from Ashleigh Ellenwood and Jeriann Okoro as well as an own goal to lift them over the Wildcats.
The Razorbacks started the scoring at the half-hour mark, scoring from outside the top of the box on a volley by Ellenwood. The ball came in from the right flank and was played in by Jeriann Okoro who had three points in the match. Ellenwood got the ball at the top of the box and on one touch rifled it past a diving Kayla King.
Kentucky (7-2-1, 1-1-0 SEC) only went into the locker room trailing 1-0 after being outshot 8-6 and not recording a shot on goal in the opening half.
Arkansas saw their lead doubled in the 57th minute as a Kentucky own goal off a corner kick put the Hogs up 2-0. The ball was played in from the right side and hit off the back of the head of a UK defender and past King.
After changing its shape to four forwards and an attacking mid, Kentucky was scored on off an Arkansas counterattack after losing the ball in midfield. Rachel Riggs slotted a ball past the UK back line and found a running Okoro who touched the ball to King’s left and beat her to give Arkansas the 3-0 lead.
The loss comes as Kentucky’s second home loss in the last 10 matches. UK was 9-0-1 prior to Friday night’s loss.
With the loss, Kentucky’s winning streak ends at seven. The Wildcats will look to start another on Sunday afternoon in the 2013 Kick-Cancer match against No. 19 Georgia. The Bulldogs are currently 9-1-0, 2-0-0 SEC and have won nine-straight matches since the season-opening loss to Texas.
“Doing these things for the kids is what it’s all about,” Lipsitz said. “We are very passionate about it and we are very excited to help out Dance Blue and so we are really looking forward to that.”
There will be multiple opportunities to help support the research of pediatric cancer on Sunday as all the players’ jerseys as well as Lipsitz’s game-worn tie will be up for auction on UKathletics.com. All of the proceeds will go to supporting the fight against pediatric cancer.
Sunday’s match will be televised live on CSS at 6:00 p.m. ET, and will also be available on the WatchESPN app and ESPN3.
For continuing coverage of UK women’s soccer, log on to UKathletics.com.
