Vicky Graff Photo
Kentucky women’s soccer (1-0-0) had the honor of kicking off the 2025-2026 collegiate athletics calendar on Thursday, defeating Jackson State (0-1-0) by a score line of 4-0 at the Bell Soccer Complex. Led by the first collegiate brace of Anna Sikorski’s career, a multi-point effort from SEC All-Freshman Team member Alexis Tylenda, and the first goal of Thalia Morisi’s Kentucky career, the Cats extended their home unbeaten streak to 16 matches, dating to October 2023.
The Wildcats dominated the opening night contest, amassing 25 shots, nine corner kicks, and 69 percent of possession. A pair of Cats—Sikorski and Skye Leach—led the team with four shots, with Sikorski placing a team-high three looks on frame.
It did not take long for the home squad to start the scoring, as a free kick in the ninth minute earned near the corner kick allowed Sikorski to have a left-footed look on frame that found its way through the hands of the Lady Tigers’ goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Just over ten minutes later, the Wildcats would draw a foul in the Jackson State box, setting up Kentucky’s first penalty kick of the season. Sikorski would step to the spot and drill a left-footed strike into the bottom left corner of the net and secure her first career brace, just 20 minutes into the season. Scoring just one goal in her freshman campaign, the Muskego, Wisc. native doubled that mark in the first match of her sophomore season.
The Cats would have another opportunity from the spot in the 23rd minute, but Sophie Harlan’s attempt was saved by Valentina Goodloe. Kentucky would have multiple looks on net during the remainder of the first half but headed to the locker room with a 2-0 advantage.
Out of the break, Kentucky continued its dominance in the field, setting up a third goal in the 57th minute. A header won by freshman Gabi Poretto at midfield landed at the feet of Morisi, who played a perfect through ball to Tylenda in the box. The sophomore forward laid the ball back towards the penalty area, allowing Morisi to crash the box and bury a right-footed strike for her first goal at Kentucky.
In the 64th minute, Tylenda would close the night’s scoring by adding her first tally of the season and secure a three-point performance on opening night. A contested ball at the edge of the Kentucky attacking third was won by Tanner Strickland, who was able to take her space and dribble into the box and lay the ball to the feet of Tylenda. The Pittsburgh native was able to time the strike and bury the ball into the goal and bring the contest to its ultimate score at 4-0.
In net, freshman Khadijah Cissé earned the start in her collegiate debut, picking up the win after an eventless first half of play. Freshman Megan Holland tended the net in the second half, picking up the only Wildcat save of the night on a free kick in the 81st minute. In fact, that attempt was the only shot allowed—on goal and off target—by the Kentucky defense all match.
A new-look Wildcat squad took the field on Thursday night looking to build on the backs of a historic 2024 season that saw the program earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. 12 Wildcats made their Kentucky debut, with five transfers and seven freshman taking the Lexington pitch for the first time.
The Wildcats will close out the opening weekend of the season on Sunday, August 17 by taking on West Georgia at The Bell at 1 p.m. ET. The program will also celebrate its seven seniors—Dana Dahm, Maddie Eastman, Mallory Glass, Harlan, Leach, Thalia Morisi, and Rapp—in a pregame ceremony.
Kentucky-Jackson State Soccer
Photos by Vicky Graff
