Women’s soccer pushes to avenge loss to Arkansas last year
September 19, 2014
By Kevin Erpenbeck
There is a level of intensity conference games bring during a season. They’re more physical, closely contested and played with a chip on the players’ shoulders.
That’s what the Cats face on Friday when they visit Arkansas to begin their Southeastern Conference portion of the schedule.
And UK is certainly familiar with Arkansas. The last time they faced the Razorbacks was in 2013, when the Cats gave up three goals in a 3-0 home shutout loss. It was the first home loss of the season, and it left a bitter taste in their mouth.
UK always anticipates an increase in skill level when SEC play begins. It’s about honing in on the small details of a match, both offensively and defensively, to win the inevitably close matches. The minor, inconsequential mistakes that are made during a nonconference game can doom a team against an SEC team.
Head coach John Lipsitz said it best when describing the team’s mindset heading into preparation for Friday’s match.
“It’s a whole new season for us and a whole new level,” Lipsitz said. “We have to take the good and the bad in preconference and prepare for a tough conference play.”
And a tough conference it will be. The SEC has three teams ranked currently in the Top 15 so far this season.
The Cats’ nonconference schedule wasn’t exactly a cakewalk, though. UK came away with a 5-2 record against nonconference opponents who had a combined record of 26-19-3, including its most recent match against No. 12 Pepperdine. Even though the Cats lost to the Waves 3-2 in overtime, it was a good preview of the opposing skill they should expect in the latter half of the season, starting with Arkansas.
UK will have to contend with Arkansas’ premier junior Ashleigh Ellenwood, who recieved Honorable Mention for the TopDrawerSoccer.com Women’s Team of the Week. Ellenwood finished last week with two goals and a pair of assists against Missouri State. Her two goals gave her 24 for her career at Arkansas. UK holds a 6-11-2 all-time series advantage over the Razorbacks, but Arkansas is 4-1-1 against UK in the past six matchups.
There’s no better way to start off a tough SEC schedule than to win against the first opponent. It won’t come easy though, as the Razorbacks are coming off a 5-2-2 nonconference record after making the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament in 2013. But if the Cats bring the expected SEC level of intensity, then they can eradicate the year-old bitter taste in their mouth.
