UK women’s soccer defeats No. 10 West Virginia
September 15, 2013
Staff report
Behind two goals and two assists by junior defender and forward Arin Gilliland, UK women’s soccer (6-1-1) defeated No. 10 West Virginia University (4-2-2) on Sunday, 4-2.
The victory was UK fifth-year head coach Jon Lipsitz’s first over a top-10 opponent at UK.
Gilliland started the scoring 10 seconds into the match from just outside the box, capitalizing on a lapse in WVU’s defense immediately after kick-off.
Junior forward Stuart Pope fired the Cats’ second goal in 23 minutes later, marking her team-best seventh goal of the season. Gilliland was credited the assist.
Before the first half was finished, WVU responded with a goal from junior forward Kate Schwindel, making the score 2-1.
Soon after halftime, UK freshman forward Zoe Swift scored from 25 yards out, and Gilliland picked up her second assist of the game.
Gilliland upped the Cats’ lead to 4-1 in the 66th minute, converting her second penalty kick of the season after Swift was brought down in the box.
With less than a minute to play, WVU was awarded it’s own penalty, and senior forward Frances Silva converted, extending her scoring streak to eight matches.
The victory caps a six-game winning streak, closing out the non-conference portion of the Cats’ schedule. Prior to the streak, the Cats were 0-1-1 on the season.
UK plays next on the road at Auburn University in the Cats’ first match of the SEC portion of the schedule, kicking off on Friday, Sept. 20, at 8:00 p.m.
