(2) Georgia (8-4-5, 4-3-3 SEC) vs. (7) Kentucky (9-3-6, 3-4-4 SEC)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 31
Time: 1 p.m. EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex (2,500)
MEDIA INFORMATION
TV / Stream: SEC Network (Mike Watts, PxP / Jill Loyden, Analyst)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
X: @UGASoccer
Instagram: @UGASoccer
Social Media: For complete information on Georgia soccer, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGASoccer on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Georgia leads 15-9-5
In Athens: Georgia leads 7-5-2
In Lexington: Georgia leads 8-4-2
Neutral: Tied 0-0-1
Last Meeting: Georgia – W, 1-0 (Oct. 19, 2023 – Athens, Ga.)
Current Streak: W3
GF / GA: 36 / 30
QUICK KICKS
Quarterfinal Clash
SEC East champion Georgia opens its run at the 2023 SEC Soccer Tournament with a quarterfinal rematch against Kentucky in Pensacola, Florida. Georgia’s No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament is tied with the 2007 team for highest in program history. Georgia and Kentucky are meeting just 12 days after a 1-0 Georgia win in Athens, with redshirt freshman midfielder Summer Denigan scoring the lone goal in a division-clinching win.
Tuesday’s match marks the 30th all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Wildcats, with Georgia carrying a five-match unbeaten streak (3 W, 2 T) into the contest. This is second meeting between the programs in SEC Tournament competition - Georgia and No. 14 Kentucky tied, 1-1, in the 1999 first round, with the Bulldogs advancing, 5-4, on penalties.
Tiger Tied
Georgia looks to rebound from a scoreless tie against Auburn last Thursday, a program record-tying fifth draw of the season (2018). Despite outshooting the Tigers by a 14-3 margin, only allowing one shot on frame, and earning 10 corner kicks, the Bulldogs were unable to find the scoreboard. Both teams had a goal disallowed due to offside, including a goal by senior forward Tori Penn in the 75th minute. With two straight shutouts, Georgia is looking to break a season-long 249-minute scoreless streak that began after Denigan’s winner against Kentucky.
Accolades Aplenty
In the SEC postseason honors released Sunday, Georgia received numerous league honors, including three for Denigan. The Union, Kentucky native shared the Co-Freshman of the Year Award with Florida’s Megan Hinnenkamp, along with placements on the Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team. The honor made Denigan the first Freshman of the Year since Laura Eddy in 2009. Graduate midfielder Croix Bethune was also named to the Second Team All-SEC, giving the program five consecutive seasons with an all-conference performer, the longest streak since 2005-11. Freshman defender Kiera Staude joined Denigan on the All-Freshman Team after playing 1,296 minutes this season on the Bulldog backline.
Freshman Phenoms
Three members of the Georgia freshmen class were recognized by Top Drawer Soccer on its 2023 midseason top-100 list. Defender Kiera Staude was ranked No. 10 overall, the highest of any SEC first-year player. Staude has started all 13 matches on the backline, helping the Bulldogs post five shutouts. Midfielder Christian Brathwaite slotted at No. 70, while fellow midfielder Devon Winters snuck in at No. 94.
Beasts of the East
With its win over Kentucky, Georgia clinched its first SEC East championship in program history, earning a top-two bye in the SEC Tournament and guaranteeing an opponent on short rest in Pensacola. In addition to their SEC exploits, the Bulldogs were ranked No. 16 in the NCAA Tournament committee’s Top 16 reveal on Oct. 19.
Dawg Bites
- Georgia remained unranked in last week’s United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer polls, but received nine votes to be the first team out of the poll. In the NCAA RPI rankings, Georgia moved down to 20th and ranks third among SEC schools. Nine 2023 opponents currently rank in the top 50.
- Junior defender Jessie Dunn remains the iron woman among Georgia field players, tallying 90 minutes in 14 matches this season. Dunn has played a full 90 in 22 of her last 26 matches and now leads the team in consecutive starts at 25 following Ellie Gilbert’s season-ending knee injury against Tennessee.
- With the Tennessee win, Georgia improved to 6-1 this season when scoring twice, while the Kentucky victory improved it to 6-2 in one-score matches. Notably, the Bulldogs have matched or been outshot by its opponent in each of its three of its four SEC victories.
- Georgia holds a 6-1 record this season when leading at the half. In all five of the Bulldogs’ ties, the score was knotted at the half (1-1-5).
- Through 16 matches, 11 different Bulldogs have scored a goal. Last year, the team tied a program record with 16 different scorers.
- Graduate midfielder Mallie McKenzie is now tied for fourth in program history with 21 assists, putting her three behind all-time leader Suzannah Weathersbee (24). She is also tied for second all-time in appearances with 92 matches, putting her on pace to break former teammate Abby Boyan’s program record of 93.
- Goalkeeper Jordan Brown has now entered the program’s top 10 in saves, shutouts, starts, and minutes, and currently has the lowest GAA in program history (0.91).
- Dating back to last season’s SEC Tournament semifinal against South Carolina, Georgia has tied in its last four national television appearances.
Up Next
If victorious, Georgia will face the winner of the South Carolina-Texas A&M quarterfinal match in Thursday’s second semifinal, tentatively scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EDT on SEC Network. The NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship Selection Show will take place on Monday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com.
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