Kentucky Posts Third-Straight Shutout, Beats Belmont 3-0
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s soccer (5-0-1, 0-0-0 SEC) continued its unbeaten start to the season, registering a third-straight shutout to defeat Belmont, 3-0, (1-4-2, 0-0-0 MVC) on Thursday night at the Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex.
Úlfa Úlfarsdóttir scored in the second minute, while Maya Lacognato and Ella Kane tacked on second-half goals as the Wildcats continued their longest unbeaten start to a season since 2019.
Úlfarsdóttir’s goal came after just 72 seconds of action, the fastest goal scored by Kentucky this season. Freshman outside back, Grace Hoytink carried the ball down the right wing, splitting a pair of Bruins’ defenders before centering for Tanner Strickland just outside the six-yard box. Strickland directed a one-timer on goal that was saved by Belmont’s Sarah Doyle, but the rebound popped free, allowing Úlfarsdóttir to score her first goal of the season with a left-footed poke. Both Hoytink and Strickland collected assists on the goal, their second and third of the season, respectively.
Leading 1-0 at the half, Kentucky again struck quickly coming out of the intermission. This time it was grad-transfer, Maya Lacognato getting her first goal as a Wildcat in the 49th minute of play. Just a yard or so from the endline on the right side of the pitch, Lacognato floated a ball over the keeper’s head and inside the left post from a seemingly impossible angle to make the score, 2-0. The unassisted goal was the 17th of Lacognato’s collegiate career and brings her to four points on the season.
Finally, in the 84th minute, Kane capped the night’s scoring with the first goal of her collegiate career. Maria Castaldo cut around a defender in the right corner and found Kane near the penalty dot. The freshman forward proceeded to carve out some space with a couple quick dribbles in tight corridors, before finishing with her left foot to the near post.
In goal, Marz Josephson picked up her third-straight shutout and her fourth overall this season. The grad-transfer made one save in the contest.
For the match, Kentucky outshot Belmont 21-1 overall and 13-1 in shots on goal. The 13 shots on frame were a new season-high for the Cats. The Wildcats also totaled nine corners on the night and conceded none to the Bruins.
UK will close its non-conference schedule with a road trip to Iowa State this Sunday. The Cats will be looking to complete an unbeaten run through non-conference play for the first time since 2007. The match will kick off at 2 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN+.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKWomensSoccer, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
