LEXINGTON, Ky. – The LSU Soccer Team (7-6-1, 2-4-0 SEC) fell to the Kentucky Wildcats (10-1-3, 2-1-3 SEC) on Thursday night at Bell Soccer Complex.
The Wildcats got on board first in Lexington in the first three minutes to start the match. Kentucky’s Makala Woods scored the opening goal when she received a through ball from Maddie Kemp around the midway mark and took it on her own the rest of the way and past LSU keeper Audur Scheving. Kemp was credited the assist on the goal.
The Tigers saw an opportunity to level the match in the 19th minute as Sage Glover was awarded a penalty kick after a handball inside the box by Kentucky’s Grace Hoytink. Visiting keeper Marz Josephson denied Glover of the goal, collecting her first save of the night.
Kentucky came out hot as they held 52% possession compared to LSU’s 48% in the first half. LSU began to find their momentum toward the last 20 minutes of the half, but could not find the right opportunity.
LSU keeper Scheving tallied four saves in the first half, including one huge save off a penalty from Kemp, stopping Kentucky from extending their lead. The first half ended 1-0 in favor of the Wildcats. The Tiger defense was tested as Kentucky took seven shots, but LSU was able to hold Kentucky to their lone goal.
The second half saw more of Kentucky fighting off the Tigers as they searched for the equalizer, which finally came as Ava Amsden scored in the 73rd minute. Kelsey Major was rewarded a foul in the box, giving LSU the perfect chance to get on the board. Amsden drilled home her second penalty kick of the year to level the match 1-1 in Lexington.
The Tigers and Wildcats continued to battle back and forth as both teams looked for the advantage. Both teams took six shots in the second half. LSU saw attempts from Sage Glover, Amy Smith, Aurora Gaines, Mollie Baker, Andrea Iljkic, Ava Amsden and Danielle Shannon. The Tigers five attempts on target came from Glover, Iljkic, Smith and Shannon.
With just five minutes remaining in the match, Kentucky’s Alexis Tylenda was able to score the game-winner. Grace Phillpotts sent a ball in that found Kemp, who perfectly flicked the ball with her head over the LSU defender and to the feet of Tylenda, who confidently slotted it home to give Kentucky the lead.
The Tigers finished the night with eight shots and four saves from Scheving. The squad will return to Baton Rouge to host Texas on Sunday, October 13 at 1 p.m. CT on SECN+.
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