UKWS Faces Vanderbilt and Mississippi State in Split Weekend
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team has its final split weekend of the season this week, playing host to Vanderbilt on Friday night at the Bell Soccer Complex beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET before traveling to Starkville, Miss., for a 7 p.m. ET match on Sunday at Mississippi State. Both matches will be shown live on the SEC Network+, WatchESPN and ESPN3.
Kentucky collected a 1-1 draw on Friday night at No. 12 Florida thanks to a career-high 13-save effort from freshman keeper Katelyn Jensen. Jensen was named the NSCAA Division I Women’s Player of the Week, as well as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. She is the first UK player in program history to be named the NSCAA Player of the Week nationally. Her 13 saves were the most saves in a single match for any UK goalkeeper since 1998, and the third- most saves in a single match in UK program history.
The Wildcats are 9-2-2 on the season and 3-1-1 in the Southeastern Conference. UK currently sits in a tie for third on the SEC table, just three points off league-leaders South Carolina. The Wildcats and Gamecocks do not play this year, but UK does play current runners- up Auburn in two weeks down on The Plains.
Vanderbilt enters Friday’s matchup with Kentucky at 5-5-3 overall and 1-2-2 in SEC play. The Commodores’ last game on the road ended with a 0-0 tie with LSU. The match marked the second straight tie for VU. Sophomore goalkeeper Christiana Ogunsami had six saves in the match, leading to her third shutout of the season. Vandy is led in scoring by midfielder Lydia Simmons, who has four goals and one assist through 13 matches.
This weekend’s matchup marks the 28th all-time meeting between Vandy and UK. The Wildcats lead the series 15-12-0. UK has won the last four matches and are 8-5-0 at home against the Commodores. Vandy’s last win in Lexington was in 1998.
After falling 4-0 to No. 16 Texas A&M, Mississippi State will play at Georgia Friday night before hosting Kentucky on Sunday evening. Allowing the Aggies two quick goals at the beginning of each period and then two more to extend the lead late in the match, MSU was outshot by TAMU 16-5. State’s goalie Tanya de Souza, made six saves on 10 shots on goal, ranking her fifth in the conference this week of total saves. She also holds the fourth-highest SEC average of saves per game, trailing only by .08 to VU’s Ogunsami.
This weekend’s matchup marks the 17th all-time meeting between MSU and UK, with the Wildcats leading the all-time series 13-3- 0. UK has won the last five matchups. The Wildcats are 5-2-0 in Starkville.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s soccer team, follow @UKWomensSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
