Truitt, Poretto Power Kentucky to 2-1 Upset Over No. 25 Alabama
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In front of a season high crowd at the Bell Soccer Complex, Kentucky (9-3-0, 3-1-0 SEC) picked up its second ranked win of the season, knocking off No. 25 Alabama (8-3-1, 2-2-0 SEC) by a final score of 2-1.
Lexington native Katherine Truitt scored her first career goal in the match while freshman Gabi Poretto scored a game-winning penalty kick in the final stages for the second time in as many contests.
With the win, the Wildcats have now matched the most conference wins under Head Coach Troy Fabiano, tying the 2023 and 2024 squads who both ended the SEC season 3-3-4. The Cats have also won three of their first four league matches for the first time since 2013.
The Cats opened the match with their sixth goal in the opening ten minutes of a match this season, with Truitt’s first collegiate tally in the ninth minute. A Grace Hoytink corner kick was played into the box, allowing the redshirt-sophomore centerback from Lexington to jump over the Alabama defensive line and head the ball into the back of the net. On the play, Hoytink picked up her first assist of the season and sixth of her career.
The Wildcats would hold steady for the remainder of the first half, with freshman Khadijah Cissé picking up two of her career-high four saves on the Crimson Tide’s only two shots on target of the period.
Kentucky was able to hold its advantage for much of the second half until a 77th minute goal from Nadia Ramadan leveled the match at one goal apiece. A ball played to the edge of the 18-yard box was passed from Kiley Kukan to Gianna Paul, who played a backheel pass to Ramadan—setting up the Crimson Tide midfielder with a clean look at goal that was buried into the upper right corner.
However, the Wildcats responded quickly. Off the kickoff, Kentucky was able to advance the ball into its attacking third, allowing Hoytink to play a ball from the far wing into the box for Tanner Strickland. Strickland was able to beat Alabama defender Kennedy Garcia, who fouled the Wildcat junior and gave the Cats a look at the lead just 39 seconds after the equalizer. Strickland has now drawn six penalty kicks for the Wildcats this season, including the eventual game-winners in back-to-back SEC games.
Poretto stepped to the spot for the second consecutive match and delivered another decisive strike, this time to the bottom right corner of the goal. The Lithia, Fla. native is now three-for-three on penalty kicks this season—accounting for all her goals—and leads her team with three game-winning scores.
The Wildcats would do well to hold their lead over the final 13 minutes, with Alabama only attempting one shot on target that was ultimately saved by Cissé.
Kentucky has now defeated the Crimson Tide in each of the last three seasons, marking the first time the Wildcats have won against the same conference opponent each time in a three-year stretch since 2013-2015, also against Alabama.
The Wildcats will play two matches next week, traveling to Gainesville to play Florida on Thursday, October 2 at 7 p.m. ET before returning home to host No. 13 Vanderbilt on Sunday, October 5 at 1 p.m. ET. Admission to all 2025 Kentucky Soccer regular season home matches will be free to the public.
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