The rivalry could not have been any more tense, the outcome more uncertain.
The University of Louisville women’s soccer team is in an unusual place today, hogging the athletic department’s spotlight after a nail-chewing dramatic win over Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA tournament at Lynn Stadium. It came down to penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie in regulation and penalty kicks.
UofL emerged the victor after Mackenzie Geigle, a petite 5-foot-5 senior from Raleigh, NC, launched a penalty-kick that that landed in the upper right corner of the penalty net. The kick sends the Cardinals to the second round of the NCAA and ends the Wildcats’ season.
Equally jubilant was UofL goalie Erynn Floyd a 5-foot-8 senior from Wilton, Conn., who blocked a total of hree UK penalty kicks during that frenzied closing drama.
Kentucky got on the scoresheet in the 47th minute of the second half, with Thalia Morisi heading in a corner kick from Grace Hoytink.
It was looking bleak for Louisville until the 79th minute when Amelia Swinarski weaved through a couple Kentucky defenders. She fired a shot inside the right post. It was the 10th of the season for the 5-foot-6 sophomore from Madison, Ohio. UK was on its heels the rest of the regulation game.
“The first half was not us at all,” said Louisville Coach Karen Ferguson-Deyes. “We were nervous; we were scared; we were tight. Second half — we came back out, and I actually told them, ‘I hope it’s not going to take a goal to wake us up.’ But it did.”
This is the Cardinals’ fourth trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They are now 4-6 all time in the event.
UofL will play No. 3-seeded Kansas, which defeated California Baptist 3-1 on Friday. That match will kick off at 4 p.m. next Thursday, Nov. 20, in Durham, North Carolina, and will air on ESPN+.
