Persistent Jayhawks Shoot Past Roos, Stay Perfect
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Add persistent to the growing list of complimentary adjectives for the undefeated Kansas soccer team as the team shot more than 20 times, before finally scoring the game-winner Sunday afternoon against UMKC at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. The Jayhawks peppered the Roos with 22 shots before junior Ashley Williams lifted the 23rd past UMKC goalkeeper Nina Tzianos in the 82nd minute to give Kansas a 1-0 victory and extend the Jayhawks’ record-setting start to the season.
Kansas moved to 8-0-0 on the year and also claimed the programs’ longest unbeaten streak with the victory. UMKC dropped to 3-3-2.
From the opening whistle KU dominated the match in nearly every category, leading the shot count and possession handily throughout the game, however, the Jayhawks were unable to separate themselves from UMKC in the most important category, the score. That is until the 82nd minute.
With the Jayhawks on one of their many attacks of the game 81:49 into the match, Williams received a pass from sophomore Jackie Georgoulis five yards outside the top right corner of the Kangaroo penalty box. The Albuquerque, New Mexico native gained possession and used a lack of defensive pressure to her advantage has she dribbled her left and toward the top of the box.
Williams blasted a left-footed shot from 18 yards out that, unlike the Jayhawks’ previous 22 shots, got to the back of the net, just under the crossbar. The goal marked the third of the season for Williams and the second in as many games. It was also the 13th-career goal netted by the third-year Jayhawk.
Kansas withstood some late Kangaroo charges over the final eight minutes of action to claim the team’s eighth-straight victory to start the 2014 campaign.
The Jayhawks outshot the visitors 27-3 during the match, including 14-0 in the opening half. The Jayhawks also put 12 of those shots on goal, its most in a game since posting 13 against Purdue on Sept. 1, 2013.
Liana Salazar tallied a career-high six shots
in Sunday’s 1-0 win over UMKC.The Jayhawks’ 27 shots were also the most by a KU time since they tallied 29 shots against Arkansas at the beginning of the 2011 season.
Six Kansas players had three shots are more, including junior Liana Salazar, who tallied a career-high six shots on the day.
Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Stroud helped the Jayhawks to their third-straight shutout and also notched a pair of saves. Stroud has now amassed 229 saves during her KU career, which moved her up to third on Kansas’ all-time saves chart.
Kansas has kept its opponents off the board for the last almost 280 minutes and have still yet to trail in a game this season, boasting 732 minutes of play without falling behind in a match.
Kansas will now take its unblemished record on the road to take on Marquette in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday, Sept. 19. The Jayhawks and Golden Eagles will hit the pitch at Valley Fields for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
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