Penalty Kick in Double-Overtime Lifts Baylor past Kansas Soccer
LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the second year in a row Kansas soccer battled Baylor to an overtime duel, as the two teams went into double-overtime Sunday afternoon, at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. But a little more than three minutes into the second overtime period, a penalty kick proved costly for KU, as the Jayhawks were downed 1-0 by the Baylor PK.
In the 102nd minute, defender Shelby Williamson broke up a play in the box, taking down a Baylor player in the process. Williamson was awarded the yellow card, which was the fourth between the two teams in what proved to be one of the most physical matches of the season. Hanna Gilmore was chosen to kick for the Bears (10-5-2, 3-4-0 Big 12), and nailed her shot for the win.
“I feel really bad for our kids, I thought we deserved to win the game, I really did,” said head coach Mark Francis. “You have a decision against you that late in the game and there’s not much you can do about it. But we had enough opportunities to score, so it shouldn’t have been an issue.”
Kansas outshot the Bears 13-11 and had two solid opportunities during the second half. Whitney Berry, who matched her season-high with seven shots (one on goal), played a ball deep and shot just inches too high early in the second half. A few minutes later, Emily Cressy had the ball in the box with an empty net, but her shot was blocked by a Baylor defender.
Late in the half, Madi Hillis launched a hard shot deep from the left side, but it went straight to goalkeeper Courtney Seelhorst, who grabbed it for the save.
Each team managed to get two shots off during the first overtime period, but none hit the net. Williamson took the best shot for the Jayhawks. With Seelhorst on the far side of the goal, Williamson headed one directly
in front of her on the right side, missing a few feet wide. KU kept the ball on the Baylor side of the field through the first two minutes of the second overtime period until the Bears took it downfield for what would ultimately result in the final possession of the game.
The Jayhawks are now 5-11-0 on the season and 1-7-0 in the Big 12. Six of KU’s seven conference losses have been by just two goals or less.
“It’s pretty frustrating. We’ve had a little bit of bad luck where we’d played some games and played very, very well and lost 1-0,” Francis said. “Today was an example of that because I think we deserved a lot more out of it than what we got.”
Just two games remain on the Big 12 slate. The Jayhawks will face Nebraska and Colorado, both on the road, next weekend before returning home for the final home game of the season against SIUE-Edwardsville, Oct. 29.
Postgame Quotes
Baylor 1, Kansas 0 (2OT)
Oct. 17, 2010
Kansas Head Coach Mark Francis
On the defeat:
“I feel really bad for our kids, I thought we deserved to win the game, I really did. Our kids played great, they really did. They battled hard and they stuck to the game plan, I don’t have any complaints.”
On the overtime penalty kick:
“You have a decision against you that late in the game and there’s not much you can do about it, but I mean we had enough opportunities to score, so it shouldn’t have been an issue.”
On the season so far:
“It’s pretty frustrating. We’ve had a little bit of bad luck where we’d played some games and played very, very well and lost 1-0 and I guess when it rains it pours. Today was an example of that because I think we deserved a lot more out of it than what we got.”
On Big 12 Conference Play and next game vs. Nebraska:
“Everybody in the league is tough, there are no easy games so we need to show up with the same intensity we had today.”
