By Boyd Hayes

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Jon Lipsitz’s UK women’s soccer team faced No. 6 Texas A&M on Friday night, playing to a 110-minute 2-2 draw. The Cats are now 8-2-1 (3-1-1 SEC), while TAMU moved to 10-1-1 (4-0-1 SEC).

Both teams had opportunities to win through the end of the second half and both overtime periods, but strong defense and loose shots kept the game knotted up through the final whistle.

After a scoreless first half, an offensively busy second half was marked by four goals; two each from UK freshman forward Kelli Hubly and TAMU sophomore forward Kelley Monogue.

Neither the Cats nor the Aggies could maintain possession, but not from lack of offensive push. Every attack from one team saw a swift counter from the other. Lipsitz said he thought his team played too slowly and safely in the first half.

“It’s very easy to feel good about yourself when you’re going backwards all the time,” Lipsitz said. “So we challenged them to play faster, to prepare their body to play skillfully: one-touch or two-touch, rather than always preparing on the first and second and then making a decision. I thought we responded at half-time and did really well.”

About six minutes into the second half, UK freshman Cara Ledman fired a bullet of a shot that was deflected by TAMU goalkeeper Jordan Day off of the goalpost. The ball landed in the corner of the goalie box at the feet of Hubly, who saw the opportunity and struck with force to put the Cats up 1-0.

The Aggies responded 14 minutes later with an unassisted goal by Monogue from nearly 33 feet out. After finding herself just outside the penalty box with plenty of room to maneuver, Monogue fired a beautiful glider into the opposite corner of the goal where UK goalie Kayla Price could do nothing about it.

Another 14 minutes saw the two teams exchange possession before UK junior forward Caitlin Landis connected with freshman forward Courtney Raetzman to volley a pass into the box where Hubly again found the ball and then the goal. TAMU wasted no time responding when a Meghan Streight free kick found Monogue again. She got off a strong kick right inside the goalie box to equalize the score for the second time.

The goals were Hubly’s third and fourth of the season, and Monogue’s fifth and sixth.

“Well, I mean, we’re very happy to get a point against Texas A&M. You know, we’re allowed to be happy that we got a point out of a game that I don’t think a lot of other teams are going to get in our conference – and nobody has up until now – but still be disappointed and want more. You know, you’re allowed to have both those feelings,” Lipsitz said.