Cressy's Goal Lifts No. 25 Kansas Past Auburn, 2-1
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Emily Cressy’s timing was impeccable. The freshman forward found the back of the net on a long clear by Lauren Jackson in the 86th minute to lift the 25th-ranked Jayhawks to a 2-1 triumph over visiting Auburn Sunday afternoon at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
Kansas improves to 2-0, while the Tigers drop to 2-2. The 2-0 start is KU’s best since starting the 2004 season with six straight victories.
Cressy’s heroics capped a wild 10-minute stretch that saw five cards issued, and a Tiger goal disallowed.
Just seconds after Auburn’s Chelsea Yauch was issued a second yellow card – giving her an automatic red and an ejection – KU’s Jackson fired a free kick deep into Auburn territory. After a high bounce, Cressy secured the ball, spun her defender around and fired a shot into the back of the net for the game-winner.
One minute earlier, it appeared Auburn had scored the decisive tally when goalkeeper Julie made an initial save on AU’s Kara Kasten and the ball squirted free to an offensive player, tapped the ball in. However, Auburn was called for offsides on the play and the goal was disallowed.
KU got on the board in the first half as junior Monica Dolinsky took advantage of an errant clear and dribbled to the 16 yard line and blasted a shot to the near corner. It was the junior’s first goal of the season, and first goal at home since her freshman year.
Auburn countered in the second half when Rebecca Howell stole the ball from a KU defender and fired a bad-angle shot into the far corner from 18 yards out. It was the only mistake of the afternoon for KU goalkeeper Julie Hanley.
Hanley made five saves in the contest, and thwarted several more attacks by intercepting passes deep in the box.
Auburn controlled the pace for most of the afternoon, holding a 17-8 advantage in shots and a 6-0 edge in corner kicks. However, they couldn’t find the timely goal as Cressy did.
In two regular season matches, the freshman has been involved in three of the team’s five scoring plays.
No. 25 Kansas (2-0) will host UAB next Friday at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. Kick off is scheduled for 5 p.m.
