Sept. 18, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After a 5-2-0 start to the season in non-conference play, the University of Kentucky women’s soccer team turns its attention to Southeastern Conference action, as the Wildcats open SEC play with a stand-alone weekend at Arkansas on Friday night at 8:05 p.m. ET. The match will be carried live on the SEC Network+, ESPN3.com, and the WatchESPN app.
Though non-conference play, Arin Gilliland in the SEC is 1st in shots (40), 1st in shots per game (5.71), 3rd in points (14), 3rd in points per game (2.00), 2nd in assists (6) and 2nd in assists per game (0.86). In national stats released this week, Arin Gilliland is 5th in APG, 18th in PPG, 5th in total assists, and 25th in total points in the country.
Kentucky’s netminders, along with the back line did not allow a goal for 387-consecutive minutes spanning six different matches. The streak was the longest scoreless streak for UK under head coach Jon Lipsitz. It was the first time since 1995 that UK has shutout four-consecutive opponents. The streak ended on Sunday when No. 12 Pepperdine scored in the 21st minute on Taylor Braun.
Arkansas enters conference play at 4-2-2, and fresh off a 6-1 drubbing of Missouri State on Sunday afternoon to close out the non-conference season. Arkansas is led by All-SEC player Ashleigh Ellenwood who has four goals and six assists through the non-conference portion of the Hogs schedule.
Arkansas has played an extremely tough schedule thus far, taking on both North Carolina and Duke.
Friday will be the 19th all-time meeting between Kentucky and Arkansas in program history. UK leads the all-time series at 11-6-2, but Arkansas has been creeping the deficit closer over the last few seasons, as the Razorbacks have won three of the last four meetings with UK, including a 3-0 shutout of UK last season at the UK Soccer Complex. Kentucky’s last win over the Razorbacks came in 2011 when now volunteer assistant coach, Kelsey Hunyadi-Coll scored a penalty in the first overtime frame of the 2011 match.
Kentucky has won its last two SEC openers, as the Wildcats knocked off No. 12 Florida, 2-1 back in 2012 before beating No. 24 Auburn in 2013 to start off conference play.
The 2014 SEC coaches poll saw the Wildcats predicted to finish fourth in the Southeastern Conference. This was UK’s highest predicted finish under head coach Jon Lipsitz.
For continuing coverage of UK women’s soccer, log on to UKathletics.com.
