Alabama
6-2-2
Kentucky
5-0-6
Alabama Soccer Plays Kentucky to 1-1 Draw
10/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
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The Alabama Crimson Tide soccer team played Kentucky to a 1-1 tie Friday night in its Southeastern Conference home opener at the UA Soccer Complex.
The tie for Alabama (6-2-2, 0-1-2) is its second tie in three matches and the sixth for Kentucky this season (5-0-6, 1-0-2). The Wildcats remain the only unbeaten team in the SEC.
"It's clear that we're in for another battle this season in the SEC," Alabama head coach Don Staley said. "We tied a team that is undefeated and with three starters out I think it shows the character of this team."
Alabama trailed at halftime for the first time this season after Nicola Holdsworth put UK up 1-0 off a corner kick at 40:09. But at 53:15, freshman Jessica Deegan connected with senior Cally Morrill on an Alabama corner kick to tie the game 1-1. From there the two teams battled and traded shots, but no one was able to break the draw.
"I think we continued to battle tonight," Staley said. "There were some areas where I thought we could have been more patient, but we were able to make some corrections and I was pleased."
In the waning moments of the first overtime, Kentucky's Kristen Jedlo appeared to have given the Wildcats their seventh win over Alabama in nine meetings, but goal was waved off and Kentucky was ruled offside. After another 10:00 of action, the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
The game's result mirrored the action on the field. Neither team ever gained too much of an advantage over the other. Overall Alabama out-shot Kentucky 20-16 and led in the shots-on-goal department 9-5.
Before last Friday's tie at Florida, Alabama had played 32 consecutive matches without a draw.
Alabama will have a quick turn-around before heading back into action Sunday at 1 p.m. against No. 19 Vanderbilt at the UA Soccer Complex.
"We have another outstanding team coming in here to play Sunday," Staley said. "We have to be prepared mentally to win."
Team Stats
Nicola Holdsworth
off corner kick
40:09
Cally Morrill (2)
Assisted By: Jessica Deegan
corner kick on header
53:15
