LEXINGTON, Ky. — The 10th-ranked LSU soccer team saw its school record seven-game SEC unbeaten streak come to an end with its first conference defeat of the 2009 season on Friday night as it dropped a 1-0 decision to the Kentucky Wildcats at the Kentucky Soccer Complex.
The Tigers (8-3-2, 4-1-0 SEC) had not tasted defeat in SEC play since dropping a 2-1 match against No. 6 Florida in Baton Rouge on Oct. 26 of last season. The Wildcats (4-6-3, 1-4-0) snapped a four-game losing skid and picked up their first win in SEC play this season.
LSU was unable to find the net on a wet and muddy pitch after a series of heavy thunderstorms made their way through Lexington in the days leading up to Friday’s match.
After the final whistle, the Tigers outshot the Wildcats by a 16-5 margin in 90 minutes of action with a 4-2 edge in shots on goal. LSU also turned up the pressure on the Kentucky defense with 10 corner kicks to just four corner kicks for the Wildcats.
“I thought we managed the conditions very well despite the shape of the field tonight. I think we certainly played well enough to win the game, we were just unable to finish any of our chances tonight,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “It’s unfortunate that sometimes inconsistencies in areas that don’t involve players or the playing conditions directly impact the outcome of the game.
“But you have to credit Kentucky for battling hard for the full 90 minutes and picking up their first win in SEC play this season. It’s very difficult to go on the road and pick up three points in this league.”
Despite dominating the possession the first half, the Tigers trailed the Wildcats by a 1-0 margin heading into the halftime break after Kentucky forward Giuleana Lopez scored her team-leading third goal of the season with just 1:25 to play in the first half. Lopez buried Kentucky’s first shot of the match on a header inside the right post on a corner kick by teammate Stefani Kildare.
The Tigers outshot the Wildcats by a 6-1 count in the opening half with each team attempting one shot on goal. LSU also dominated with five corner kicks to just one corner for Kentucky in the first half.
Junior Courtney Alexander and sophomore Allysha Chapman provided LSU with the best opportunity to tie the score late in the second half but misfired on a pair of wide-open shots inside of the penalty area in the final 10 minutes of the game. Alexander missed an open net with a shot just over the crossbar from 10 yards out before Chapman missed an open net of her own from about eight yards in front of the net.
The Tigers will return to the pitch on Sunday afternoon as they make the trip to Nashville, Tenn., to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at 1 p.m. CT at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.