Kentucky (6-8-2, 1-6-0 SEC) defeated Missouri (7-7-1, 1-5-1 SEC) by a score of 2-1 on Friday night at The Bell. Two goals from Marissa Bosco made the difference as the Wildcats won their first SEC game of the 2019 season and kept their SEC Tournament hopes alive.
Bosco got things started in the 30th minute when Valdis Björg Sigurbjörnsdóttir sent a dangerous ball into the box from 30 yards out causing the Tigers’ goalkeeper to come off of her line to retrieve it. For Bosco’s sake though, the goalkeeper let the ball slip through her legs and the junior midfielder was there to pounce on it and fire the ball home to put UK up one.
Kentucky found itself up two in the 52nd minute when Bosco won a penalty kick for the Wildcats after being taken down in the box. Freshman forward Hannah Richardson’s shot from the spot drilled the crossbar of the goal, but Bosco was again in the right spot to send the deflection back towards goal and into the back of the net.
Missouri would pull a goal back in 65th minute with an impressive penalty kick attempt, with Julissa Cisneros finding the back of the net after Grace Kitts laid off a ball from the penalty spot for Cisneros to fire home. But thanks to a strong night defensively for UK, that would be the lone goal for the Tigers.
Kentucky started six freshmen and played a total of eight as the program continues to show a strength in developing both newcomers and returners from last year’s side. Freshman goalkeeper Steph Stull had a strong game with seven saves.
Kentucky Head Coach Ian Carry:
“I’m proud of everything coming together for this team,” Kentucky head coach Ian Carry said. “We spoke in the locker room at halftime up 1-0, knowing that our players did everything that was asked of them whether that be their roles and responsibilities or how we wanted to press and win the midfield battle. We were dominant and deserved to go into halftime up 1-0. But we knew that Missouri would come out in the second half and put us under pressure, and they did for the first 10-15 minutes, but I was proud of the backline and Steph Stull in goal because we handled that pressure really, really well. The turning point was winning that penalty in the second half. Marissa Bosco with some really quick feet drew the penalty and then luckily, she was there to net the rebound after Hannah (Richardson) hit the post. Again, we are a growing team and we set a challenge for ourselves because we are very disappointed to not be sitting on six points going into tonight after the games with Auburn and Mississippi State. But we use those moments as teachable moments that when we are deep into the game and we are in the lead, we cannot afford to make silly mistakes and we have to work for 90 minutes and grind in order to get the victory, and tonight they did. They worked and worked and worked. I’m so happy for them, but I feel so bad for them that it’s taken until today to see that smile on the face, walking off of the field after a victory. They deserved it. They had to grind and battle for it, and I can’t put it into words how happy I am for them because everything they’ve worked hard for is finally coming together. I’m just so proud of them”
Next Match:
Kentucky travels to Georgia on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET in Athens. That game will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
Details of the Game:
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Clear
Date: 10/18/19
Stats:
Possession:
UK- 66%
MU- 34%
Shots:
UK- 12 (5)
MU- 14 (8)
Saves:
UK- 7
MU- 3
Fouls:
UK- 10
MU- 11
Corners:
UK- 9
MU- 6
Follow along with the Cats on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on the web at UKathletics.com.
– GO CATS –
For more information contact:
Tommy Scott