The University of Kentucky womenܬs soccer team dominated Mississippi State Sunday with a Southeastern Conference tournament berth on the line.
ܬGive credit to Kentucky though,ܬ MSU coach Neil MacDonald said. ܬTheir backs were against the wall, too, and they responded.ܬ
UK (7-4-7, 3-4-3) downed the Bulldogs by a final of 4-1 to clinch a spot in the upcoming tourney.
The loss ended any remote hope or possibility of reaching post-season competition for MSU (3-11-3, 2-8-0), who was without three starters who were indefinitely suspended for a violation of team rules.
Eleven-game starter Mary Kate Ayers, Southaven native Courtney Benefield and Texan Mallory Staub all missed the game. Their status for the rest of the season will be determined later this week.
Sophomores Callie Lanphier and Nathalie Bolder got the scoring started early for the Wildcats as Lanphier tallied her fourth goal of the season during the third minute when she scored on a rebound off a Bulldog defender in front of the goal. Bolder assisted on the goal that gave UK the 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs tied the game minutes later when Heather Ammann headed a blazing pass from Betty Ann Casey past UKܬs Anne Ogundele to knot the score at a goal apiece. Lanphier added her second goal of the half as she punted a delivery from sophomore Sarah Gaunt past the MSU keeper to lift the Cats to a 2-1 advantage. Lanphierܬs fifth goal of the season came in the 19th minute.
Freshman Kate Hughes made it a 3-1 lead as she scored her fourth goal of the year on a pass from sophomore Megan Jones, which she fired across the goal past the far post in the 33rd minute.
ܬThis result is disheartening because every one of the players knew that this was going to be our biggest game of the season,ܬ MacDonald said. ܬWe gave away three goals on silly mistakes, and it dug us a hole we couldnܬt climb out of.ܬ