⚽ MATCH PREVIEW: at Baylor

MATCH 4 – at BAYLOR

Date: Friday, Oct. 9
Location: Waco, Texas
Stadium: Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field

Kickoff: 7 p.m. (CT)
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 5 Kansas (3-0-0) plays its third road game of the season when it travels to Waco, Texas, to play Baylor (0-1-3) Friday, Oct. 9. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. (CT) on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Lincoln Rose and Jessica Stamp calling the action.

Kansas is the only undefeated team in the Big 12 at 3-0-0 and the Jayhawks are tied for second in the standings, with West Virginia, with nine points, one behind league leader Oklahoma State who has 10 through four games. KU is tied for first with TCU in goals allowed as both teams have yet to be scored on with three shutouts.

Individually, KU junior goalkeeper Sarah Peters is tied for first in the conference in save percentage at 1.000, along with TCU’s Emily Alvarado. Peters’ 4.0 saves per game average is sixth in the Big 12. Additionally, Kansas’ three goals this season have been by three different Jayhawks, with all being seniors – Ceri Holland, Kathryn Castro and Mandi Duggan.

Baylor is 0-1-3 on the season after its 0-0 double-overtime tie with No. 4 Oklahoma State on Oct. 2. The Bears lead the Big 12 in shots at 16.0 per game and are tied for the league lead in saves (5.50/game). BU’s 0.50 goals allowed per contest are tied for third and trail conference leaders Kansas and TCU, who have yet to allow a goal this season. Individually, freshman midfielder Chloe Japic has scored the lone goal for Baylor in its 2-1 loss at Iowa State on Sept. 25. Freshman forward Mackenzie Anthony averages 4.0 shots per game, while senior midfielder Ally Henderson is next with 2.75 per contest. Senior goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt has 20 saves and three shutouts through four games this season.

Kansas leads the all-time series with Baylor, 12-11-2, but the Bears have won two of the last three match-ups. Dating back to the 2013 season, Kansas leads Baylor 6-2-0. Baylor owns a 6-2-2 record versus KU in meetings in Waco, Texas, but dating back to the 2014 season, Kansas has won two of the last three meetings at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field in Waco.

QUICK KICKS

• Kansas moved up one spot to No. 5 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll released Oct. 6. The No. 5 ranking is the highest rank in KU history, surpassing the No. 6 poll from last week (Sept. 29) and Week 7 of the 2004 season.
• Kansas is one of four Big 12 teams ranked by the coaches, along with No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 9 West Virginia and No. 12 TCU.
• Kansas is 3-0-0 for the third-straight season and eighth time under head coach Mark Francis, who is in his 22nd season at KU. The Jayhawks are looking to go 4-0-0 for the second-consecutive season and sixth time under Francis.
• Kansas has won or tied its last 12 matches against Big 12 opponents dating back to Oct. 10, 2019. The Jayhawks are 9-0-3 and have outscored their league foes 17-to-5 during that span, which included the 2019 Big 12 Championship title. The stretch is the longest in program history.
• After its 1-0 win over Texas Tech on Sept. 25, Kansas now has a victory over every Big 12 squad in the last calendar year.
• For the second time in the past three seasons KU has started the year without conceding a goal in its first three matches. KU also held its first three opponents scoreless in 2018.
• Kansas has not allowed a goal against a Big 12 opponent since last season’s Big 12 Championship semifinal against Oklahoma State (Nov. 8). It’s been 449 minutes since KU has allowed a goal against a Big 12 opponent.

UP NEXT

The Jayhawks will return home to host Oklahoma State, Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m., at Rock Chalk Park. The match will be broadcast live via Big 12 Now on ESPN+. This will be soccer’s ‘Jayhawks for a Cure’ contest supporting breast cancer awareness month and 400 fans will be able to attend. Tickets will go on sale Friday, Oct. 9, via KUAthletics.com.