Jayhawks Travel to Colorado, No. 6 Texas

Oct. 16, 2007

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The Kansas soccer team will hit the road for the final time during the regular season as it travels to conference foes Colorado and Texas this weekend. The Jayhawks will meet the Buffaloes at 4 p.m. CST in Boulder, Colo. on Friday, before shifting to Austin, Texas to take on the sixth-ranked Longhorns at 1 p.m. Sunday. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Lights, Camera, Jayhawks

Both of KU’s matches this weekend will be carried live via the internet on the home schools’ websites. Video from Friday’s match is available at www.cubuffs.com while www.texassports.com offers live audio and video of Sunday’s match. However, both websites require a paid subscription to access these media options.

About the Jayhawks

Kansas (3-9-3, 1-2-2 Big 12) tied 23rd-ranked Oklahoma State last Friday, before falling to Oklahoma two days later. Senior Nicole Cauzillo scored a goal and added an assist on sophomore Shannon McCabe’s goal in the tie with OSU, while junior Jessica Bush tallied her first goal of the season in Sunday’s loss to the Sooners.

Scouting the Buffaloes

Colorado (7-4-3, 3-2 Big 12) is coming off a split on the road last weekend, falling to fifth-ranked Texas A&M, 4-2, before defeating Baylor, 3-2. After a stunning home loss to Texas Tech to open conference play, the Buffaloes have won three of their last four.

Sophomore Nikki Marshall leads the Colorado offense with eight goals and 18 points this season, while freshman Mel Hicks is tops on the team with three assists. In goal, junior Kirstin Radlinski has seen the most action, appearing in 11 of CU’s 14 matches. The junior keeper has a 1.27 goals against average and a .759 save percentage. Backup Kara Linder has appeared in seven contests and has impressive numbers with an 0.45 goals against average and an .889 save percentage.

Head coach Bill Hempen is in his seventh year at CU and has an overall record of 76-47-18 at the school. Hempen’s team returns eight starters and 14 letterwinners from last year’s squad, which advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. The Buffs hold a slight 6-5 edge in the all-time series with one tie. CU earned a 4-0 victory in Lawrence last year, before eliminating the Jayhawks on penalty kicks in the first round of the Big 12 Championship. KU’s last win in the series came in 2004.

Colorado on the internet: www.cubuffs.com

Scouting the Longhorns

After receiving the top ranking in the Soccer America national poll last week, Texas fell to No. 6 after dropping a 2-0 decision at nationally ranked Texas A&M. The loss snapped an eight-match unbeaten streak for the Longhorns, who are 7-0-1 this season at home.

Freshman Niki Arlitt leads the team in scoring with eight goals and 20 points. She ranks fourth in the Big 12 in both categories. Teammate Courtney Gaines is the team leader with five assists this season. Junior goalkeeper Diana Pfenninger has started all 14 matches this season and has a 0.74 goals against average and a .792 save percentage.

Head coach Chris Petrucelli is in his ninth season at UT and has an overall record of 115-58-11 with the Longhorns. Petrucelli’s team returns seven starters and 13 letterwinners from last year’s squad, which won the Big 12 Championship tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. Texas leads the all-time series with the Jayhawks, 10-1 with one tie. However, each of the last six meetings have been decided by one goal, including UT’s 1-0 win in Lawrence last season. KU’s only win in the series came in 2005.

Texas on the internet: www.texassports.com.

Last Time Out

Despite Jessica Bush’s first goal of the season, Kansas fell to Oklahoma, 2-1, Sunday in a Big 12 soccer match at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. OU’s Allyson Kucera recorded a pair of second half goals, including the game-winner in the 83rd minute.

Bush gave KU a 1-0 lead going into halftime, after intercepting an OU clearing attempt and burying it far post at 36:18. However, the Sooners struck back with a pair of second half goals to steal a victory from the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.

Cauz and Effect

Senior midfielder Nicole Cauzillo enjoyed her second multi-point match of the season in Friday’s tie with 23rd-ranked Oklahoma State. The senior grabbed an assist on KU’s first goal of the match and then tallied a go-ahead goal in the second half. It marked the second time this season and the fourth time in her career that she has collected a goal and an assist in the same match. Cauzillo currently leads the team with four goals and 10 points this season.

Battling the Best

KU’s match Sunday against No. 6 Texas will mark the seventh ranked opponent the Jayhawks have faced this season, and the third ranked in the top 10 at the time of the match. Colorado, which KU will face on Friday, was ranked in the national top 25 during the first three weeks of the season, while the Jayhawks’ second opponent of the year, Auburn, jumped into the national rankings this week, meaning over half of KU’s opponents this season are or have been ranked in the top 25 during the course of the season.

Welcome Back

Junior Jessica Bush scored her first goal of the season in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Oklahoma. The junior, who leads the team with four assists, intercepted an errant clearing attempt late in the first half and beat the goalkeeper in the 37th minute. Bush led the Jayhawks with eight goals last season, but has been more of a playmaker rather than a finisher this year. Sunday’s goal also marked the second straight year that the junior scored against the Sooners, after tallying the game-winner in the 2006 meeting.

Quick Kicks

– Kansas will meet Colorado on Friday afternoon in Boulder. It will mark KU’s first trip to Colorado since 2005, when the Buffaloes earned a 2-1 victory on Oct. 16.

– Head coach Mark Francis is 3-4-1 all-time against the Buffaloes.

– KU will make its first trip to Austin since 2004 on Sunday to face the sixth-ranked Longhorns.

– Head coach Mark Francis is 1-7-1 against UT at Kansas, however each of the last four meetings have been decided by one goal, including a pair of Longhorn wins in double-overtime.

– Junior Jessica Bushscored her first goal of the season in Sunday’s loss to Oklahoma. Bush’s last goal came against CU in the first round of the Big 12 Championships last season in San Antonio.

– Senior Nicole Cauzillomatched her single-season career high in goals with her fourth of the season on Friday. The senior also recorded four goals in her first season at KU, 2004.

– Senior Afton Sauermade her 77th consecutive start in the defensive backfield for the Jayhawks on Saturday. If she starts all five of KU’s remaining contests, Sauer will tie former teammate Holly Gault for the most games started by a field player in Jayhawk history. Her 77 consecutive starts rank only behind former goalkeeper Meghan Miller, who started 87 straight matches from 2001-04.

– Senior Kelsey Archuleta made her first start of the season in Friday’s contest with Oklahoma State. Archuleta, who has battled injuries throughout her career, is nearing single-season highs in matches played (nine) as well as minutes played (163) this year.

– Freshman Kaitlyn Cunninghamcontributed a career high 46 minutes against Oklahoma on Sunday. Three other Jayhawks, freshman Geneva Magness (27), sophomore Shannon McCabe (90) and freshman Rachel Morris (88) also recorded career highs in minutes played in the double-overtime tie with Oklahoma State Friday.

– KU recorded season highs in shots (24) as well as corner kicks (10) in Sunday’s loss to the Sooners.

A Century of Excellence

Kansas head coach Mark Francis became the fifth soccer coach in conference history to earn his 100th victory at a Big 12 institution with Sunday’s 4-1 win at Texas Tech. Francis accomplished the feat in 177 matches, which is the fourth-fastest among current Big 12 coaches. Only Nebraska’s John Walker (124), Texas A&M’s G. Guerreri (129) and Texas’ Chris Petrucelli (162) have won 100 contests faster in the Big 12.

Looking Ahead
Kansas will play its remaining regular season contests in the comforts of the Jayhawk Soccer Complex, beginning next weekend when it plays host to Nebraska and Iowa State. The Jayhawks will meet the Huskers at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, while the team will entertain the Cyclones at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28. KU’s final match of the regular season is Nov. 2 against Border Showdown rival Missouri at 3 p.m.