Texas Tech Defeats Kansas Soccer With Two-Goal First-Half

LUBBOCK, Texas – Kansas soccer played a strong second half but couldn’t match a pair of headers netted by Texas Tech (10-5-1, 3-3-1 Big 12) in the first, as the Jayhawks went down 2-0, Friday night at John Walker Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.

Whitney Berry led KU (5-10-0, 1-6-0 Big 12) with three shots. Kortney Clifton and Emily Cressy each had two shots with one on goal. Goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau collected nine saves to add to her Big 12 lead.

KU struggled out of the gate and was unable to maintain possession of the ball, before recovering in the second half to out-shoot the Red Raiders 9-6, and hold them scoreless. However, the first half was all the Raiders needed.

In the 17th minute, Texas Tech’s Jessica Fuston connected on a corner kick from Taylor Lytle and headed it in for a 1-0 Red Raider lead. Lytle was again involved in the second goal when her shot was flicked in by Casey McCall late in the first half.

More opportunities were created by the Jayhawks in the second half, as KU came out swinging. KU’s best opportunity came when Madi Hillis squared up on a ball just outside the box and blasted it just to the right of goalkeeper Erin Wikelius, but Wikelius dove out of the goal and punched it out to make the save.

Cressy as well came close when she took a pass from the left side, only to have her shot blocked by a Tech defender. Cressy had another strong shot in the second half but Wikelius saved it to help the Texas Tech lead hold up.

Next up, KU plays host to Baylor Sunday, to close out this weekend’s Big 12 series. The Bears will face the Jayhawks at 1 p.m., at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex in the final home conference match of the 2010 season.