Women’s Soccer Offense Explodes in 4-1 Win Over Jacksonville State
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s soccer (4-0-0) took care of Jacksonville State (2-1-0) proving to be the better unbeaten team at the Bell Soccer Complex Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats defeated the Gamecocks 4-1 thanks to a brace from Maddie Kemp and goals from Mia Bookhard and Makala Woods.
The offense for the Wildcats was unstoppable today as the team beat the visitors outshooting them 22-6 with 12 of those efforts on goal to the opponent’s two. Kentucky also won the corner kick duel, earning seven to Jacksonville’s one. With the peppering of shots on goal, Kentucky saw its highest goal scoring output of the season so far beating Gamecock goalkeeper Poppy Bastock four times in the match.
Makala Woods opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after Thalia Morisi played a good through ball in the center of the pitch splitting the two defenders. Woods picked up the ball in the box one-on-one with Bastock before driving to her left and placing the ball into a wide-open goal. It marks Woods’ second goal of the season and Morisi’s first assist as a Wildcat.
Things got even better in the 40th minute as Mia Bookhard benefited from good, sustained team pressure in Jacksonville State’s half of the field. The ball eventually landed at Bookhard’s feet in the center of the box after a scramble where she opened her body to side-foot it in the far right corner for the 2-0 lead. It marks Bookhard’s first goal of the season and the 10th goal of her career.
The Wildcats were given the opportunity to go 3-0 up right before the break after earning a penalty kick in the 45th minute for a foul in the box. The effort was saved however from Bastock meaning the Cats carried a 2-0 lead into the half.
Despite not executing from the spot before the break, Kentucky earned a second penalty just five minutes into the second half after Makala Woods was brought down in the box. This time the Wildcats converted from the spot as Maddie Kemp slotted it away for her first goal in a UK uniform.
The Gamecocks did not go away however despite a 3-0 scoreline. In the 74th minute, the Alabama-based program got one back through Allison Sibley but it was all they earned from the match.
Kentucky and Kemp added a fourth after Morisi again played a ball through the defense that found Kemp in a pocket of space on the right-hand side of the goalpost. Kemp waited for the ball to roll into the best position before placing it into the left-side netting, securing the win for the Wildcats.
Kentucky now travels for the first time this season as they head to battle Big Ten member Illinois on Sunday, September 1st at 3 p.m. ET. The game will also be available on BIG10+.
Season tickets for all Kentucky soccer men’s and women’s home games can be purchased here, while single-game tickets are available here.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on Facebook, Instagram, X and at UKathletics.com.
