The 4-0 UK women’s soccer team is set to face off with in-state rival, No. 25 Louisville Friday night. What has become a classic series between the two squads resulted in a 2-0 UK victory in Lexington last season in front of a crowd of 1,313 fans.

This season finds both squads on the rise. Louisville started the season No. 27 nationally by the NCAA, with returning scoring leader Christine Exeter looking to excel, though she has yet to score a goal this season. UK brings in one of the nation’s best freshman classes, and has returning leadership in many positions, including star sophomore Arin Gilliland and last season’s second leading scorer, Caitlin Landis.

Head Coach Jon Lipsitz is 2-1 against Louisville in his first three seasons at UK, and he looks to progress to not only 3-1 against the Cards, but a second straight 5-0 season start.

Goals for the Cats this season have been scored by senior Natalie Horner, junior Ashley VanLandingham (two apiece), Gilliland (one) and freshman Cara Ledman (two). Five of UK’s seven goals have come from set-pieces, which players and coaches have attributed to rigorous off-season practice of set-piece situations.

Also strong this season has been UK’s defense, made up of starting back line of Gilliland, Horner, VanLandingham, and senior Alyssa Telang, as well as ‘keepers Kayla Price and Kayla King, who have split time in the box evenly. In fact, the only point attributed to a UK opponent this season has come from an own-goal during a match with Eastern Kentucky.

The game will take place in Louisville Friday at 7:30 p.m., as the first game of the Cardinal Classic.