cincinnati

This game marked the 50th season for the University of Kentucky women’s basketball program. Kentucky currently holds a 896-593 all-time record, with just four wins standing between them and the prestigious 900-win milestone.

Kentucky started the game off strong, taking an early 5-2 lead with all five points coming from Tyler. However, Cincinnati quickly bounced back to take an 8-5 lead. The Wildcats managed to score four consecutive points and take a 9-8 lead, but the Bearcats closed out the period with an impressive 8-0 run, giving them a 16-9 lead after the first 10 minutes.

The meet spanned three days with the action kicking off at 9:30am. Prelims were conducted in the morning in meters, with finals taking place at 5:30 ET in yards.

Kentucky took control of the game early on, with goalkeeper Casper Mols making a crucial save in the opening 15 minutes. The breakthrough came in the 26th minute, as Ben Damge scored his first goal of the night, assisted by freshman Josh Gordon. The Wildcats went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, having recorded four shots and one save.

The Cardinals had contributions from nearly the entire team, with 10 players getting on the scoresheet. Sydney Taylor led the way with 16 points, while Jayda Curry made an impressive regular season debut with 13 points. Olivia Cochran was a force on the boards, collecting a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven points and three assists. Elif Istanbulluoglu and Kiki Jefferson also made strong collegiate debuts, scoring seven and nine points respectively.

Under Coach Walz, the Cardinals have been a force to be reckoned with, making five consecutive Elite Eight appearances and maintaining a six-year Sweet Sixteen streak, both of which are unmatched by any other team in the country. Last season, the Cardinals won 26 games and extended their streak of 11-straight seasons with 25 or more wins. They also finished fourth in the ACC and advanced to the ACC Tournament Championship game for the fourth time in program history.