Missouri rains on women’s soccer for first SEC loss
September 26, 2015
By Sam Angel
When it rains, it pours. UK women’s soccer team had a slippery first half that led to it falling behind 3-1. That score would hold until the final buzzer as the Missouri Tigers would go on to seal their fifth win against the Cats since joining the SEC in 2012.
The Tigers were quick to strike at 13th minute as Melanie Donaldson assisted Missouri’s leading scorer, Savannah Trujillo on her third goal of the season by beating goalkeeper Katelyn Jensen near post.
Just seconds later in the 14th minute there was a miscommunication between Jensen and the Wildcat defense, letting Missouri forward Jessica Johnson score on an empty net for the Tigers’ second goal.
UK struggled offensively in the first half. Getting any ball past the Mizzou back line proved to be quite the challenge for the Cats.
“We weren’t talking care of enough detail, said UK forward Zoe Swift. “The balls we were playing were kind of in between and also, the runs should have been a little better too. They won more battles than we did and that’s why they came out with the win today.”
The lack of UK offensive fed right into the Tigers’ attack. Missouri scored again at the 30 minute mark as a ball crossed from the wing by Missouri senior Reagan Russell was finished off by freshman Jessica Herrman.
UK midfielder Katy Keen scored a free kick from 19 yards out to help the Cats carry some momentum going forward in the game.
“We just had to be more tactically sound on defense, we were not on the same page. We needed to be more aggressive and step to the ball,” UK defender Alex Carter said.
The Cats showed that aggression in the second half, winning more of the fifty-fifty balls that the team was losing in the first half.
UK had 6 shots in the second period, but were unable to connect.
“We changed second half, we just had a more attacking mentality all over the field, and I think it served us well,” Carter said. “We just didn’t get the result we’d like to have,” Carter said.
The Cats have a quick turn-around before they face their next SEC opponent on Sunday. The Cats will face off against the Arkansas Razorbacks at the Bell at 6:00 p.m.
