Second Half Goal Sinks KU Soccer
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Priscilla Fite’s goal in the 52nd minute pushed No. 18 Texas past the University of Kansas, 1-0, Friday in a Big 12 soccer match at the Jayhawks Soccer Complex.
The Longhorns improve to 9-3-1 and 3-1-1 in the Big 12, while KU falls to 7-5 and 2-2 in the conference.
“There really weren’t that many goal-scoring opportunities for either side,” KU head coach Mark Francis said. “It was really a tight game. We struggled a little bit offensively, and didn’t create enough opportunities, and that hurt us.”
Opportunities on both sides were few and far between as the teams combined for just five shots on net and one goal.
Texas, however, took advantage of an opportunity early in the second half. In the 52nd minute, junior Kelsey Carpenter crossed a ball to the top of the box where senior Priscilla File settled the ball and sent a shot into the far side of the goal, past a diving Julie Hanley.
It was the only offense either team would muster. Hanley allowed one goal of less for the sixth-straight match, while the Jayhawk defense held Texas to just 11 shots, eight shots below its season average.
Offense, however, was hard to come by for KU. After being outshot 6-0 through the first 24 minutes of play, Kansas collected the final four shots of the opening half.
Freshman Kim Boyer likely had the best opportunity for the Jayhawks in the 40th minute. Boyer made a long run on a cross from sophomore Missy Geha, but could not direct the ball on net from the near side of the goal.
Geha led the team with two shots, including KU’s only shot on net.
The Jayhawks will play host to No. 8 Texas A&M on Sunday at 1 p.m.
KU Notes: The 1-0 score marks the fifth straight match that KU has played in which ended with that score. The longest such streak in team history … The loss drops the Jayhawks to 7-8-2 against teams ranked in the
Top 25 since the beginning of the 2003 season … Junior Afton Sauer started her 55th straight match in a KU uniform, moving her past former Jayhawk Lauren Williams. Williams started 54 straight matches from 2002-04. Sauer is chasing former goalkeeper Meghan Miller’s team record of 86 consecutive starts.
