Georgia Goes for SEC East Against No. 23 Kentucky

RV Georgia (7-3-4, 3-2-2 SEC) vs. No. 23 Kentucky (8-1-5, 2-1-4 SEC)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 19
Time: 6 p.m. EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Turner Soccer Complex (1,682)

MEDIA INFORMATION
TV / Stream: SEC Network+ (Jeff Dantzler, PxP / Tatum Hodge, Analyst)
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
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 14-9-5
In Athens: Georgia leads 6-5-2
In Lexington: Georgia leads 8-4-2
Neutral: Tied 0-0-1
Last Meeting: Georgia – W, 3-0 (Oct. 23, 2022 – Lexington, Ky.)
Current Streak: W2
GF / GA: 35 / 30

QUICK KICKS
Cats and Dawgs on the Pitch
Georgia welcomes No. 23 Kentucky to Turner Soccer Complex for a potentially historic matchup Thursday evening. The Bulldogs are coming off of an impressive 2-1 win at Tennessee last Friday, while the Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season against Mississippi State on Sunday. Thursday's match marks the 29th all-time meeting between Georgia and Kentucky, with the Bulldogs carrying a four-match unbeaten streak (2 T, 2 W) against the Wildcats into the contest. Last season, Georgia won 3-0 in Lexington, powered by a second-minute goal by defender Madison Haugen and a shutout performance from goalkeeper Jordan Brown.

A Historic Opportunity
Following last week's win at Tennessee, Georgia can clinch its first-ever SEC East Division championship with a win over Kentucky. The Bulldogs have finished second four times previously (1996, 2001, 2007, 2008) during the divisional era (1995-12, 2019-present). With the division title, Georgia is assured of a top-two seed at the SEC Tournament in Pensacola and will face one of the two Sunday First Round winners.

If Georgia ties Kentucky, it can still clinch the division with a win or tie at South Carolina Sunday.
If Georgia loses, it can still clinch the division with a win at South Carolina.

Dawgs on (Rocky) Top
Georgia put itself in position to win its first-ever SEC East championship with a 2-1 win at Tennessee last Friday. After surrendering a goal in the first 30 seconds, Georgia quickly responded as forward Hannah White played a ball of a Lady Vol defender and shot from the corner of the 18, banking off the left post for the nearly instant equalizer In the second half, a pair of stout defensive plays from Jordan Brown and the Bulldog back line kept the score tied, leading to midfielder Summer Denigan scoring from 15 yards out on a terrific assist from midfielder Mallie McKenzie. Over the final 15 minutes, the Bulldogs used stout defense to secure their fourth 2-1 victory of the season.

Denigan Honored
For her winning goal at Tennessee, Summer Denigan was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week. She was second Bulldog to receive an SEC honor this season, following Caroline Smith earning Freshman of the Week on Aug. 28. Denigan is the first Georgia player to receiver OPOW honors since Dasia Torbert last season against Texas A&M.

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.

Dawg Bites

Georgia remained unranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer polls, but did still receive one vote in the coaches' rankings. In the NCAA RPI rankings, Georgia moved up to 18th and ranks fourth among SEC schools. Nine past and future 2023 opponents currently rank in the top 50.
Georgia's comeback win at Tennessee was its first in conference play since a 2-1 win against Kentucky on Oct. 10, 2021.
Redshirt senior midfielder Nicole Vernis is tied for third in the SEC in assists with five. In conference games alone, she ranks third in goals (3) and fifth in points (7).
Junior defender Jessie Dunn remains the iron woman among Georgia field players, tallying 90 minutes in 12 matches this season. Dunn has played a full 90 in 20 of her last 23 matches.
With the Tennessee win, Georgia improved to 6-1 this season when scoring twice and 5-2 in one-score matches. Notably, the Bulldogs have matched or been outshot by its opponent in each of its three SEC victories.
Through 14 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 fourth all-time in appearances with 89 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, while currently holding the lowest goals against average in program history (0.84).

Up Next
Georgia returns to the road to face No. 17 South Carolina on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. in Columbia. The match will stream live on SEC Network+.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Promotions: Thursday's match is Greek Night at the Turner Soccer Complex. The first 500 spectators will receiver a free Georgia belt bag.
Free Admission: All matches at Turner Soccer Complex are free. No tickets are required for admission.
Parking: Due to construction at the Turner Soccer Complex, parking is first-come, first-serve and carpooling is encouraged. Overflow crowds will park at the Park & Ride (E23) lot on College Station Road with non-stop shuttle service throughout the match.
Entrance: Spectators will only be able to enter the Turner Soccer Complex on the first base side of Jack Turner Stadium. Gates will open one hour prior to kickoff.
Clear Bags: The UGA Clear Bag policy will be in effect for all home matches.
Prohibited Items: Umbrellas and outside noise makers are not permitted at Turner Soccer Complex.
Sustainability: Turner Soccer Complex is on a journey to become a zero-waste facility for the 2023 season.
Concessions: Concessions will be available via cashless/contactless payment.
Merchandise: The UGA Bookstore will be selling merchandise on site.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Abby Boyan

Christian Brathwaite

Jordan Brown

Summer Denigan

Jessie Dunn

Madison Haugen

Mallie McKenzie

Caroline Smith

Kiera Staude

Dasia Torbert

Nicole Vernis

Hannah White

Devon Winters