For the first time in program history, the UK women’s soccer team played Wyoming looking to improve their record to even.

The Cats would end up getting that victory in thrilling fashion, a double-overtime 2-1 victory over the Cowgirls.

Wyoming came into The Bell with a 1-1 record, with their only loss coming from their season opener against Baylor, which also got pushed into overtime.

At the start of the first half both teams were consistently threatening to score. The first goal of the game came from a penalty kick from freshman midfielder Yuuka Kurosaki in the 27th minute, making the score 1-0.

This was Kurosaki’s first goal of the season.

Although UK was up 1-0 going into halftime, they only had four shots on goal out of nine total shots taken, as well as seven fouls committed in the first half.  

UK spent the majority of the beginning of the second half in Wyoming’s territory and threatened to score multiple times, but the shots were just going too wide or hit the goal post. Wyoming showed zero signs of potential threatening to score.

Wyoming scored in the 78th minute with a goal made by midfielder Brooklyn Moody, evening the score at 1-1. This was the shot that ultimately sent the game into overtime.

Senior forward Tanya Samarzich scored the winning goal of the game 102nd minute, in the second overtime, to move UK to 2-2 on the season. This was Samarzich’s third goal this weekend.

This was UK women’s soccer’s first time winning in overtime since 2013.

“I was not expecting to score the winning goal today. Last year, I don’t think we won in overtime. This is a great feeling. It’s shocking. I’m glad we were able to finish in the first 30 seconds of the second overtime,” Samarzich said.

Up next for the Cats is a match against their in-state rival Louisville.

“It’s a big rivalry. We’ve beaten them six times in a row now, we’re not going to break the streak now,” Samarzich said. 

The match against Louisville will take place in The Bell at 7:30 p.m. to kick off UK Alumna weekend.