The Kentucky women’s soccer team defeated Missouri 1-0 on Sunday to improve to 8-3-0 overall and 2-1-0 in the Southeastern Conference.
This is the first time since 2014 that the Wildcats have two wins in their first three SEC games.
Alabama comes to town next on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Here is a recap of today’s game from UK Athletics:
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Staring a scoreless draw in the face, Kentucky freshman Gabi Poretto stepped to the penalty spot at drilled an 89th-minute game-winning goal to send the Wildcats (8-3-0, 2-1-0 SEC) past Missouri (4-5-1, 1-2-0 SEC), 1-0. The Lithia, Fla. native scored her first conference goal and second overall to rescue a full three points in the conference table.
The Wildcats have now claimed victory in two of their first three Southeastern Conference matches, a feat that the program has not seen since 2014. Additionally, Kentucky has now won each of its past four meetings against Missouri in Lexington.
For the majority of the match, the Wildcats dominated everything except the scoreboard, ultimately outpossessing Missouri, 58 percent to 42, and outshooting the Tigers, 14 to five. However, the Wildcats’ first four shots on frame were all saved by Kate Phillips, the Missouri netminder.
Yet, in a physical match that saw 28 fouls between the two teams, the final infringement would prove to be the difference.
In the 89th minute, a transition opportunity was generated when defender Grace Hoytink won a ball out of the air in the Wildcats’ defensive third and distributed to Skye Leach. Leach navigated her way through the midfield before laying off to Thalia Morisi, who found an open Tanner Strickland on the left wing. Strickland cut into the box and beat Missorui’s Shania Spriggs, who clipped Strickland with her boot and brough the Wildcat to the turf.
By drawing the decisive penalty kick, Strickland has now earned her time five opportunities at the spot this season. Poretto stepped to the spot in just her third career conference match and calmy delivered a decisive strike to the bottom left of goal, fooling Phillips and scoring the winner. Poretto is now two-for-two at the penalty spot this season, with both of her scores constituting game-winners.
In goal, Wildcat keeper Khadijah Cissé earned her first career SEC shutout, saving both opportunities that the Tigers put on frame.
The Wildcats will stay home for a single-match week, hosting Alabama on Friday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET at The Bell. Admission to all 2025 Kentucky Soccer regular season home matches will be free to the public.
For the latest on UK Women’s Soccer, follow the Wildcats on Facebook, Instagram, X and at UKathletics.com.
The post Kentucky Women’s Soccer Off To Best SEC Start Since 2014 first appeared on Nation of Blue.