LEXINGTON, Ky. – Hailey Whitaker scored the game-winning goal midway through the second overtime period as Auburn defeated Kentucky, 2-1, to open Southeastern Conference play Thursday night.
The Tigers, who opened league action with a win for the fourth straight season, fell into a 1-0 hole four minutes into the contest but battled back to force overtime and ultimately win it on Whitaker's golden goal.
"It was really exciting," Whitaker said. "We really faced adversity so we just had to grit it out, work our hardest and put our best effort in. That's what we did in the second half, and it showed."
Jessie Gerow also got on the scoreboard for the Tigers as her goal in the 81st minute evened the match and sent it to overtime. Gerow added an assist to record a career-high three points. Bri Folds and Olivia Dedels also pitched in with an assist. The point for Dedels was the first of her career.
"Any road win in this league is really hard to come by," head coach Karen Hoppa said. "I was super proud of the team and the perseverance they showed. We grew into the game and got better and better as the game went on.
"I think the Samford game taught us that we could battle back," Hoppa added. "It's a testament to our character, and that's something we're going to have to build on as we grow into SEC play."
Kentucky (5-2-2, 0-1-0 SEC) started the scoring with a goal of a corner kick at the 4:01 mark, but Auburn (4-3-1, 1-0-0 SEC) held the Wildcats scoreless in the final 100 minutes of action.
Trailing 1-0 with less than 10 minutes remaining, Gerow found herself on the receiving end of a free kick from Folds and put a header into the back of the net to tie the contest. It was Gerow's third goal of the season.
After neither team scored in the first overtime period, Whitaker ran down a headed flick from Gerow and hit a left-footed strike that bent inside the left post to lift the Tigers to the win. Whitaker's game-winner was her second of the season and third of her career.
"Hailey is a goal scorer," Hoppa said. "Goal scorers have to show up in the big moments, and Hailey did that in overtime."
Auburn outshot Kentucky, 12-10, in the contest, and each team put three shots on frame.
Seventeen Tigers ultimately saw action in the match, including four who played all 105 minutes.
The Tigers conclude non-conference play with a contest at Old Dominion Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT.