Kentucky Women’s Soccer Falls 2-0 to South Carolina
The Kentucky women’s soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to South Carolina on Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Eugene E. Stone III Stadium in Columbia, S.C. The Southeastern Conference loss brings the Wildcats to 6-4-0 overall and 2-1-0 in conference play, while the Gamecocks improved to 9-1-0 overall and 3-0-0 in the SEC.
Wildcats Stumble in Columbia Against Ranked Gamecocks
Early Defense Holds the Line Before Halftime
Action began quickly on the pitch as two-time Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week Kyla Dawn recorded a shot on goal in the opening minute for Kentucky. South Carolina goalkeeper Christina Tsaousis stopped the early attempt, setting a defensive tone for the match.
Despite the Gamecocks holding a 7-3 advantage in total shots during the first half, Kentucky goalkeeper Megan Holland kept the hosts off the scoreboard by posting three critical saves before halftime.
Second-Half Surge Breaks Scoreless Deadlock
The scoreless deadlock persisted through the early stages of the second half as both sides traded offensive looks. The breakthrough for South Carolina came in the 60th minute when senior forward Sydney Middaugh broke the tie and put the Gamecocks on the board. Just seven minutes later, fellow senior forward Autumn Cayelli found the back of the net in the 67th minute, extending the South Carolina lead to two goals.
Late Pressure Fails to Solve South Carolina Defense
Kentucky attempted to mount a response with subsequent offensive pressure, including notable shots on target from Kendall Campbell and Juliette Rayo. However, the Wildcats were unable to solve the South Carolina defense and narrow the deficit.
When the final whistle sounded, South Carolina held an 11-8 advantage in total shots and an 8-5 edge in corner kicks. Both Holland for Kentucky and Tsaousis for South Carolina finished the match with three saves apiece.
Quick Turnaround Awaits Wildcats in Lexington
The Wildcats look to rebound from the conference loss as they return to Lexington for their next fixture. Kentucky hosts Mississippi State on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET.
Fans can stream the match live on SEC Network +, and athletic department officials confirmed that admission to all 2026 Kentucky soccer regular-season home matches is free to the general public.