MANHATTAN – In the first Dillons Sunflower Showdown in women’s soccer to be played at the K-State Soccer Complex, Kansas defeated Kansas State, 2-0, on Friday night. The series between the schools is now tied at one apiece.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 4-7-2 on the season, including an 0-4-0 mark in Big 12 play. K-State has lost four straight and five of their last six matches.
Kansas (9-2-2, 3-1-1 Big 12) tallied the opening goal of the match in the 22nd minute. Eva Eliasdottir glided a ball up the right sideline to Katie McClure. McClure drove towards the net from the right of the frame and finished with a low shot from eight yards.
The Jayhawks added an insurance goal in the 34th minute of the first half. Kansas crossed a ball from deep on the left side of the goal. K-State goalkeeper Emma Malsy attempted to pick up the bouncing ball, but it slipped through her fingers. KU’s Taylor Christie pounced on the loose ball and finished into an open net.
Kansas held an 8-4 edge in total shots, including a 5-0 lead in shots on goal.
In the second half, the shots were tied at six each, while K-State registered a 2-1 edge in shots on goal in the second frame. The Wildcats also led in corner kicker in the second half, 6-4.
Just past the halfway point of the second half, K-State appeared to pull within one. Haley Sutter went after a deflected ball near the end line to the right of the Kansas goal. Sutter attempted a cross with her right foot that bounced off the leg of Kansas goalkeeper Sarah Peters and into the net. The ball was ruled to have been out of bounds before Sutter played it, nullifying the K-State goal and keeping the match at 2-0.
Kansas State suffered its third straight shutout and the seventh of the season. The Wildcats have gone without a goal for 273:28 of game action.
The crowd on Friday night at the K-State Soccer Complex was 2,026. This was the seventh largest crowd to see a match in Manhattan and the seventh time in K-State’s three seasons as a program the Wildcats have played a home match in front of 2,000 or more fans.
Kansas State will continue its three-match home stand next Friday, as the Wildcats host Texas Tech at 6 p.m. Friday’s match is part of a Wildcat Weekend. Fans with a ticket to Saturday’s K-State/Oklahoma State football game can purchase a ticket to the soccer match for only $3. At halftime of Friday’s match, K-State will break ground for the new Buser Family Park.
Friday’s match will also represent K-State’s participation in Cats for the Cure. K-State will be wearing pink uniforms, while the Wildcat goalkeepers will be dressed in black tops trimmed in pink.
The match will be broadcast on ESPN3 and will be available for free at kstatesports.com.
– kstatesports.com –