Nov. 20, 2014
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team returns to the pitch on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET as the Wildcats continue their postseason run in Charlottesville, Va., against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second round of the 2014 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship.
Friday’s match in Charlottesville will not have any television or live streaming coverage due to the Virginia men’s basketball team using the school’s video streaming facilities. Live updates will be available by following @UKWomensSoccer on Twitter and Instagram during the match.
Kentucky escaped a penalty kick shootout on Saturday night against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, as the Cougars and Wildcats playing 110 minutes of scoreless soccer before the penalty shootout to determine who advances. Kentucky dominated the stats line all night long, outshooting the Cougars 31-4 overall, and creating 17 corner kicks, while not allowing SIUE to take any.
The Wildcats got goals in the PK shootout from senior Arin Gilliland, sophomore Kaitlin Miller, junior Cara Ledman and sophomore Michaela Dooley (in order), as UK went 4-for-4 from the spot. SIUE missed its first PK attempt wide right of the net guarded by Kentucky’s freshman goalkeeper, Taylor Braun, before the Colleyville, Texas, native saved the Cougars’ fourth attempt to clinch the shootout win.
UK and Arizona State meet on Friday for the third time in the program’s history, with ASU holding a 2-0-0 record against the Wildcats. The two prior meetings came before the arrival of current head coach, Jon Lipsitz, who is in his sixth year at the helm of the Wildcats.
In Lipsitz’s six years, Kentucky has achieved unpresented postseason success, as UK has made the NCAA Tournament each of the last four seasons, while advancing onto the second round of the championship each of the last three seasons, which are both program records. The last two seasons, Kentucky has lost to NCAA Women’s College Cup teams, including last season, when UK lost to eventual national champion, UCLA.
The Wildcats are 8-1-1 in their last 10 matches, with the only loss in that stretch coming to No. 1-seeded Texas A&M in the 2014 Southeastern Conference Tournament championship match in Orange Beach, Ala., (1-0). UK is currently ranked in the top-20 of all three major national polls, with the Wildcats checking in at No. 13 in the TopDrawerSoccer top-25, No. 14 in the SoccerAmerica poll, and No. 17 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. This is the first time in program history that UK has been ranked in the top 20 of all three major polls at one time.
Under the direction of eighth year head coach Kevin Boyd, the Arizona State Sun Devils enter the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament with a 12-5-4, 4-4-3 PAC-12 record so far this season. The Sun Devils have some great wins on their resume, winning matches over Texas A&M, tying Washington State, and more wins over Utah, Arizona State and Arizona. The Sun Devils are led in scoring by Cali Farquharson, who has 14 goals and four assists on the season for a team-high 32 points. Aly Moon also has 10 goals and six assists. In net for ASU, the Sun Devils’ Chandler Morris has a team-best 0.86 GAA and has posted seven shutouts this season.
For continuing coverage of UK women’s soccer, log on to UKathletics.com.
