The South Carolina women's soccer team extended its win streak to three in a row after defeating Kentucky 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at Stone Stadium.
The Gamecocks improve to (5-0-4) on the year, while handing the Wildcats its first loss of the season (8-1-1). The win makes the Gamecocks (2-0) in conference play and (1-0-2) against ranked opponents this season.
Defense proved to be a strong point for both teams. Neither side scored in the first half and had limited offensive opportunities, with one shot on goal each.
The Gamecock offense turned up the heat in the second half by utilizing substitutions, allowing the team to stay fresh. This led to many offensive opportunities for the Gamecocks and relatively few for the Wildcats.
The Gamecocks' relentless pressure opened the door for fifth-year forward Catherine Barry and freshman forward Katie Shea Collins to provide more offensive attacks for the Gamecocks, culminating in a go-ahead penalty kick goal by Collins in the 74th minute that helped seal the win for South Carolina.
Defense defines the day
Coming into the match, the Wildcats were seen as the better team defensively.
Kentucky only allowed three goals this season compared to the Gamecocks’ seven prior to the contest.
But the Gamecocks' defense proved to be the difference, shutting down the Wildcat offense in the second half, only allowing one shot on goal compared to three for the Gamecock offense.
Head coach Shelly Smith noted the improvement in the second half of not giving away possessions and how it mitigated the Wildcat offense. She said it was important for the team to stay organized “behind the ball.”
With temperatures in the 90s for the duration of the game, the Gamecocks utilized substitutions, with the Gamecocks making 35 of them throughout the game.
Smith said the depth of the Gamecocks was huge and that each player made a difference, no matter how long they were out on the pitch.
The players positively impacted the game due to each having deep understanding of their roles, she said.
Collins' impact continues
Collins scored the only goal of the match on a penalty kick due to handball from Kentucky graduate midfielder Sophia Mattice. The goal notched Collins' fifth goal of the season in just her sixth collegiate game.
The opportunity was created after Collins ricocheted a ball off a Wildcat defender, resulting in the corner kick that produced a Kentucky handball.
Despite being only a freshman, Collins has already garnered the confidence of her coaches and teammates. When Barry was not on the pitch to take the penalty kick, Collins stepped up.
Collins said it was meaningful for her teammates to give her the penalty kick. Junior goalie Christina Tsaousis told Collins she knew Collins would make the shot before she took it, Collins said.
What's next?
The Gamecocks will take on fellow SEC opponent Mississippi State at home Thursday. Kickoff is at 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed on the SEC Network.