Women’s soccer wins 2-0
August 30, 2010
The UK women’s soccer team (2-0) continued its strong start with a 2-0 win against Indiana.
UK jumped on top early after junior Natalie Horner netted a goal in the third minute. With the Cats on a breakaway, Horner teamed up with Taylor Parker and Jenna Goobie to open the scoring.
“That might be goal of the year,” UK head coach Jon Lipsitz said. “It was brilliant.”
Lipsitz said the goal was a key moment in the game.
“It was really important to score that early,” Lipsitz said. “We were a little flat in the first half and to get an early goal changes how you feel about a poorly played half.”
Despite the goal, UK was not playing its best soccer in the first half. The Cats only took one shot in the first half, while the Hoosiers attempted eight. Still, UK’s lone shot was a goal, while all of Indiana’s attempts came out empty.
Even with the Cats playing flat, they were able to keep the lead because of senior goalkeeper Sydney Hiance’s strong play. She saved eight shots of the night — which brought her career total to 196 — and posted the second shutout of the season. She attributes the two performances to the defense.
“The common goal for the whole team was to keep the ball out of my hands,” Hiance said.
Even though the Cats were winning by a goal going into halftime, Lipsitz expected better play from his team in the second half.
“I challenged them during half time,” Lipsitz said. “I told them it’s up to you, not me.”
Lipsitz noticed that they played with a lot more fire during the second half. In the first minute of the second half, junior midfielder Kelsey Hunyadi took a shot that Indiana’s goalkeeper saved with her fingertips.
“We started the second half as the better team,” Lipsitz said.
The Cats were looking tired in the middle of the second half, when Hunyadi scored a superb goal, her third of the year. Hunyadi dribbled past Indiana defenders on the Indiana end line and blasted a shot with almost no angle that deflected off Indiana’s goalie and went in.
Lipsitz said the goal made it easier for the tired team to finish the game strong.
