October 24, 2009
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State soccer team will honor its seniors on Sunday prior to wrapping up the 2009 home slate against Kentucky in a 1 p.m. match at the MSU Soccer Field. Admission to the Southeastern Conference showdown is free.
State returns home after wrapping a five-match road trip with a 3-0 loss to Vanderbilt Thursday night. The setback in Nashville dropped Mississippi State to 8-7-2 overall, 0-7-2 in SEC play.
The Dawgs meet a Kentucky team that has been out-scored 16-11 this season en route to a 5-8-4 overall record and 2-6-1 conference tally. The Wildcats dropped a 4-1 decision to Ole Miss on Thursday after claiming a 2-1 road victory against Auburn last Sunday.
Junior Kat Walsh will look to get back in the scoring column against the stingy UK defense. Walsh paces the Dawgs' scoring attack with 17 points on eight goals and an assist. The Birmingham, Ala., native's eight goals are tied for fourth in the league, and her 71 shots top the conference standings.
State's attack will be challenged by a UK defense led by goalkeeper Sydney Hiance. The Wildcat junior keeper has protected the net in all but one of the team's games this season, stopping 63 shots and compiling a 0.88 goals against average.
The Mississippi State defense will be looking to stop a Kentucky offense that is paced by Guileana Lopez's three goals and three assists. Jenna Goblirsch, sister of former Mississippi State standout Anna Goblirsch, has found the net twice and assisted on two more goals.
Holland, who turned in 11 saves in last season's 3-2 overtime setback in Lexington, enters her final home match just 13 saves shy of the SEC career record held by former Georgia standout Nicole Williams. The MSU career saves leader has collected double-digit saves in two of her past four matches to run her tally to 86 stops this season.
Courtesy: mstateathletics.com
