No. 20 Women’s Soccer Falls To South Carolina On the Road
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 20 Kentucky women’s soccer (8-1-1) continued Southeastern Conference play this afternoon in Columbia, South Carolina falling 0-1 to the Gamecocks. Both teams had eight shots in the match with Kentucky leading 4-2 with shots on target.
Kentucky had a flurry of chances throughout the first half and led the hosts on shots 6-3 at the break. Alexis Tylenda led the Wildcats with three shots including an effort in the 14th minute from outside the 18-yard box that looped above the head of South Carolina goalkeeper Christina Tsaousis, forcing her into a backward save over the crossbar.
Michelle Moskau should have made it 1-0 a short while later after Kentucky earned a free kick on the edge of the box on the far right side. Grace Phillpotts played a deep cross into the back post that met Moskau free of a defender, but she failed to make contact with the ball, and it disappointingly sailed out for a goal kick. South Carolina had one decent effort on goal in the half, putting a shot on goal after a rebound, but Marz Josephson was there to collect and make the save.
The second half started as the first ended with chances for Kentucky, pinning the Gamecocks back into their half. Josephson was called into action in the 59th minute after the Wildcats were caught out on a counterattack. Josephson found herself on a 1v1 against forward Katie Shea Collins and won the duel, sprawling out to her right to deflect the placed shot for a corner.
The pivotal moment of the match took place in the 75th minute on a South Carolina corner kick. The Gamecocks put the ball into the box where it was cleared by the Wildcats but came back in a shot from Brinley Murphy. The shot bounced up, hitting Sophia Mattice’s hand in the box and after a review, the referee awarded a penalty to the Gamecocks. Katie Shea Collins converted from the spot, putting her shot in the top right corner and put the Gamecocks ahead 1-0.
Next up for the Wildcats is a return home to the Bell Soccer Complex as they host Georgia on Thursday, September 26th with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
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.
