Lexington Sporting Club delivered a statement 4-0 win at home against Racing Louisville FC in the USL W League on Sunday, continuing a pattern of home excellence this season.
Entering the competition on the back of a tough loss against reigning USL W League national champions Indy Eleven on the road, the Gals in Green were in need of a bounce-back to get back on the right track going into the second half of the season.
Hosting Racing Louisville for only the second home W League game fixture this season, Lexington got just that as fans were treated to a four-goal thriller that included a hat trick from University of Kentucky star Makala Woods.
Despite the joy that fans would leave with, the match initially didn’t show signs of being such a high-scoring affair, with Lexington and Louisville entering the halftime break tied at 0-0 despite a flurry of chances from the Gals in Green.
“(It felt) pretty awesome,” Woods said about the win. “It was nice that we all worked together and got an important (win). We were having trouble in the first half, we had so many shots so we were talking about playing the same soccer but finishing those chances.”
Coming back out for half No. 2, it would be Brooke Dawahare who delivered the first blow, receiving a beautiful pass by another Kentucky Wildcat, Katelyn Fishnick, for the opening goal in the 59th minute.
Just six minutes later, Woods would begin what few would have expected before the match, receiving another pass from Fishnick and maneuvering the ball around the box before sliding it past Louisville to double the lead.
Before the fans could even catch their breath from celebrating, the Fish-Woods duo struck again, making the lead three goals to none in the blink of an eye.
Not one for taking chances, Woods found the ball on a fast-break attempt and, with the ease of a seasoned veteran, slid the fourth and final goal past the Louisville keeper for her hat trick, solidifying herself in Lexington SC history.
“(She was) terrific,” head coach Alan Kirkup said of Woods. “She only found out she wasn’t starting just an hour before the game so the fact that she was able to come on from the bench and perform like that says a lot about her character and her willingness to get stuck in. Really good performance, she took all three goals really well.”
While the visiting Louisville refused to give up, Lexington keeper Taylor Fox did what she needed to do and ensured that, when the final whistle sounded, the scoreboard remained displaying the 4-0 final.
Next up for the Gals in Green, they’ll hit the road for a second road contest against St. Charles FC on Saturday, June 15, before returning home to Toyota Stadium for a revenge match against Indy Eleven on June 18.
About Lexington Sporting Club
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (women’s professional soccer launching in 2024). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,400 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.