Jayhawks Keep Rolling with 4-1 Win Over Missouri State

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Junior forward Caroline Kastor knocked in two goals and added an assist as the Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Missouri State Bears 4-1 Friday evening at the Jayhawks Soccer Complex.

The win boosts the Jayhawks to 5-1-1 on the season while the visitors from Springfield, Mo., slide to 3-5 in 2012.

Kastor’s five points notched a career high for the Wichita, Kan., native who now has five goals and two assists on the season. It also marked the first multi-goal performance of the junior’s career.

Freshman forward Ashley Williams added her sixth goal of the season on a second half penalty kick to add to her league-leading total. The Albuquerque, N.M., native also leads the Big 12 in points with 14.

Sophomore Jamie Fletcher started the KU scoring on a cool, windy day in Lawrence, flicking in a Kastor cross in the seventh minute to put the Jayhawks up early. The goal was Fletcher’s second of the season and marked the fourth match of the year the Jayhawks have scored in the opening 10 minutes.

Just five minutes later, Fletcher returned the favor, striking a through ball to a streaking Kastor who beat the MSU goalkeeper for her fourth goal of the season. Her 12th-minute score helped the Jayhawks put the Bears into an early hole and turned out to be the third-game winner of her career.

Kansas continued to use the strong north winds to their advantage for the remainder of the opening period, outshooting the Bears 10-2 in the first 45 minutes.

It was more of the same in the second half when senior forward Whitney Berry collected her third assist of the season, finding Kastor at the end of a long run who flicked in a shot over Bear goalkeeper Chelsea Voet. Kastor’s second goal of the day put the Jayhawks in front with a commanding 3-0 lead just three minutes into the second half.

Missouri State got on the board less than a minute later when senior midfielder Michelle Sommer lobbed a 25 yard shot over KU goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau, who allowed just her third goal in the last five matches.

If the Bears had any thoughts of a comeback, Williams ended their hopes when she shot in a penalty kick in the 64th minute to increase the KU lead to 4-1. Williams’ sixth goal of the year marked the third-straight match the freshman found the back of the net.

The Jayhawks ended the match with a dominant offensive performance, outshooting MSU 17-5, with an 8-1 advantage for shots-on-goal. Kastor led all players with six shots while she and her teammate Fletcher led the team with three shots-on-goal apiece. The four Kansas assists were also a season high for the Crimson and Blue squad.

Kansas will return to the pitch on Sunday, Sept. 9 for a matchup with the North Carolina Wolfpack. Action from the Jayhawk Soccer Complex will begin at noon and can be viewed on AT&T Jayhawk All-Access with updates also available on twitter at KU_Soccer.

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.