Kentucky Drops 2-1 Contest to Illinois
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Despite the fifth goal of the season from Cat Rapp coming in the second minute, Kentucky (5-1-0) suffered its first defeat of the season, falling to Illinois, 2-1.
The Wildcats dominated the game, controlling 58 percent of possession while outshooting the Illini 19-7. However, timely goals from Illinois in combination to a handful of stellar saves by Izzy Lee prevented Kentucky from victory.
With the loss, the Wildcats saw their 19-match unbeaten streak at home come to an end, as well as their 24-match unbeaten streak in regular season non-conference games. The loss only the second time a Troy Fabiano squad has been defeated by a non-SEC opponent and the first since his inaugural season in 2022.
Kentucky continued its trend of fast starts, with Tanner Strickland and Alexis Tylenda combining for a pair of excellent passes that saw the ball end up at Rapp’s feet. The senior from Evergreen, Colorado was able to tap the ball on frame, deflecting it off Lee’s gloves and into the net. The Wildcats have now scored in the opening ten minutes in five of their six matches, with the latest opening goal coming in the 16th minute.
Kentucky would keep the pressure on in the early stages, with shots on target from Rapp in the sixth minute and Sophie Harlan in the 12th minute, forcing Lee into the first two saves of her day.
A Wildcat turnover in the Illinois attacking third would prove costly, as the visitors leveled the game in the 17th minute. Ashley Stellon intercepted the ball and earned the first of two assists in the game by laying off a pass to Cayla Jackson in a one-on-one matchup with Kentucky goalkeeper Khadijah Cissé, with Jackson winning the battle by slotting the ball into the bottom right corner.
The Wildcats would continue to dominate the run of play, but a conceded corner kick in the 42nd minute proved the difference. Stellon played the ball to the far post, where Ellen Persson was waiting to head in the eventual game-winning goal.
Kentucky kept the pressure up in the second half, desperately searching for the equalizer. In the 70th minute, Anna Sikorski rocketed a ball on frame, but a leaping save from Lee at the crossbar kept the Illini advantage intact. The Cats would have another promising look in the 80th minute, but Strickland’s attempt was stopped by a diving effort from Lee and the game remained at its eventual final score of 2-1.
The Wildcats will close the non-conference portion of the schedule next weekend, hosting Mercyhurst at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 4 and welcoming Ohio State at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 7. Admission to all 2025 Kentucky Soccer regular season home matches will be free to the public.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on Facebook, Instagram, X and at UKathletics.com.
