DANIEL BERDANER/Arizona Daily Wildcat Redshirt freshman Kelly Nelson takes a shot earlier this season during a home game. Nelson scored six goals during a weekend in which the Wildcats blanked Belmont, 10-0, before falling to Kentucky, 2-1.

No one will ever say the women's soccer team gives up in the face of adversity.

After dropping two games in a row, the Wildcats (4-3-1) struck back last weekend by dismantling Belmont 10-0 and barely allowing previously nationally ranked Kentucky to slip by 2-1.

"This was our finest hour as a team," head coach Cathy Klein said. "We were well-organized and we were dangerous."

On Saturday, Arizona took the field in Nashville, Tenn., against an opponent that UA had never faced, Belmont (0-8-0).

The 10 goals Arizona scored is a new school record for single game scoring, along with the 30 points from 10 goals and 10 assists.

It only took seven minutes for the Wildcats to take their permanent lead when redshirt freshman Courtney Moseley sent her first collegiate goal past the keeper off a pass from freshman Lisa Kosena.

Arizona would toy with the Bruins for another 31 minutes before another first-time collegiate score from freshman Nikki David and assist from freshman Erin Clewett would hold until halftime with Arizona leading 2-0.

UA took no prisoners in half number two, making the back of the Belmont goal a very dangerous place to stand. After only five minutes redshirt freshman Rachel Nelson would score her first of five goals on the day off an assist from Moseley.

The next 29 minutes were all Nelson and Co.

Each of Nelson's goals would be aided by a new teammate: Senior Tymarie Novak, freshman Althea Jones, freshman Lisa Kosena and freshman Maggie MacCool each gave an assist to one of Nelson's goals.

Nelson tied former Wildcat Kristi Loro–a for the school record for most goals in a game ÷ Loro–a set the record on Sept. 9, 2001, against Southern Utah.

Kosena and MacCool would also rack up one goal each on the day with freshman Jennifer Klein responsible for assists on both. Clewett would send the score into double digits in the 86th minute with an assist coming from senior Naomi Chu.

Not to neglect the defense, who only allowed the Bruins six shots, four on goal.

Freshman goalkeeper Amanda Martin was barely bothered with three saves, and freshman Natalie Juarez only saw one. The two combined for the fourth UA shutout of the season.

The Wildcats belted out 37 shots, 22 on goal and their 10 goals set a new school record for single-game scoring.

Arizona hoped their offensive dominance would carry over to Sunday's maiden game against a solid Kentucky (6-3-0) team that began the season in the national rankings.

"Kentucky is an NCAA tournament-caliber team, that we were excited to have the opportunity to play," said Klein.

The Wildcats never trailed until the final two minutes of the game as Kentucky kicked out 22 shots compared with Arizona's four.

"We deserved to win that game," Kentucky head coach Warren Lipka said. "We worked hard and we out-shot them ÷ nothing taking away from how we got it done."

The game was deadlocked for 81 minutes before Nelson, adding to her weekend total, gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead that would only last three minutes. A header from Jen Wilkinson off a corner kick from Kara McCue tied the game at 1-1 with only minutes to play.

UK freshman Kristen Jedl o would score her first career goal and give UK the final lead with only two minutes left when she went one-on-one with Martin and beat her to the left of the net.

Martin made a season-high 11 saves on the day while playing the entire 90 minutes in goal for Arizona.

"While I'm saddened by the outcome of the game," said Klein. "I'm very excited about the step forward we took today."

Arizona is home next weekend and will host the Arizona Tournament that will see Idaho State, Saint Louis and Youngstown State come to Tucson. Saint Louis will duel Idaho State at 5 p.m. Friday followed by Arizona and Youngstown State at 7:30 p.m. The two losing teams from Friday will play at 11 a.m. Sunday and the two winning teams play at 2 p.m.