Kentucky Women's Soccer upsets No. 8 South Carolina in home finale

It was a good Thursday night for the Kentucky Women’s Soccer team, which upset No. 8 South Carolina 3-2 in its final home match of the season. It was the Cats’ third win over a Top 25 team this season, the most for the program since 2006, and came at an ideal time, snapping a three-match winless streak in SEC play.

The win brought Kentucky’s record to 10-4-2 and 4-2-2 in the SEC. Tanner Strickland struck first, finding the net in the eighth minute off a cross from Anna Sikorski, but the goal was overturned by a Video Assisted Review. A minute later, Sikorski assisted again, setting Kendall Campbell up for a header to give the Cats a 1-0 lead. In the 14th minute, Thalia Morisi put Kentucky up 2-0, her fourth goal of the season. Gabi Poretto made it 3-0 Kentucky in the 32nd minute on a penalty kick set up by a foul on Strickland.

South Carolina would score twice, in the 40th minute and in the 79th minute off a penalty kick, but ultimately came up short, giving Kentucky its first win in the series since 2014 and the Gamecocks their first loss in SEC play. This win is the best by ranking for Kentucky under head coach Troy Fabiano, now in his fourth season. The Cats have won 10+ matches in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14.

Kentucky finishes the regular season on the road, playing at LSU on Sunday, Oct. 19 (2 p.m., SEC Network+) and at Texas A&M on Sunday, Oct. 26 (5 p.m., SEC Network). The SEC Tournament starts Sunday, Nov. 2, in Pensacola, Florida.

For more on the match, I’ll direct you to UKAthletics.com and the highlights below.

Busy weekend on campus

Last night’s win at The Bell kicked off a very busy weekend on UK’s campus. Tonight, the fun continues at Kentucky Proud Park with a baseball intrasquad scrimmage (6:45 p.m. ET) and the men’s and women’s basketball Blue-White Games at Historic Memorial Coliseum (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network+). Tomorrow the football team hosts No. 31 Texas (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), and on Sunday, the No. 3 volleyball team is back in action vs. Florida (3 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Here’s a list of UK Athletics events this weekend. Add in Keeneland traffic and thousands of Texas fans, and good luck trying to get around town.

• Friday, 3 PM: Softball vs. Danville Area Community College – John Cropp Stadium
• Friday, 6:45 PM: Baseball exhibition – Kentucky Proud Park
• Friday, 7 PM: Basketball Blue-White Game – Historic Memorial Coliseum (SEC Network+)
• Saturday, 7 PM: Football vs. No. 21 Texas – Kroger Field (ESPN)
• Sunday, 3 PM: No. 3 Volleyball vs. Florida – Historic Memorial Coliseum (ESPN)
• Sunday, 2 PM: Women’s Soccer at LSU (SEC Network+)
• Sunday, 3 PM: No. 25 Men’s Soccer vs. South Carolina (ESPN+)