⚽️ Huge Second Half Propels Kansas to 4-1 Victory at Loyola Chicago
CHICAGO – Kansas scored four unanswered goals in the second half Sunday to lift the Jayhawks to a 4-1 win at Loyola Chicago and return to Lawrence with a 1-0-1 record after the first road trip of the season. Sophomore Lexi Watts, freshman Montelene Dymond, redshirt junior Hallie Klanke and junior Magali Gagné all scored in the win.
The goal for Dymond was the first of her career, while Klanke’s was her first goal as a Jayhawk. Watts, who scored six goals last season and was voted to the Big 12 All-Freshman team, scored the first KU goal of the season and Gagné’s goal was her first since the 2021 season after missing the 2022 season with an injury.
“I thought the kids’ response was fantastic,” Head Coach Mark Francis said. “They told me in the huddle ‘we’re in this, let’s just keep going’. Within two minutes, we equalized, so that was a great response. The mentality of this group – you saw it on Thursday – I think the difference today was that we ended up getting the result and the win. Our grit is creating opportunities as well, not just making it difficult for opponents. I thought defensively we did the work, especially for a Sunday game and made it difficult for them.”
Kansas trailed 1-0 shortly into the second half after Loyola Chicago’s Amanda Cassidy converted on a direct free kick just outside the box. Less than two minutes later, in the 58th minute, Watts responded with the first Jayhawks goal of the year when she redirected a pass from Klanke into the back of the net.
With the game tied at 1-1, Dymond was the recipient of a ball that deflected into the box. She was able to place it in the top left corner to give the Jayhawks a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute.
Then, in the 79th minute, Klanke received a pass from Brie Severns at the edge of the box and struck the ball off the crossbar and down into the goal.
Gagné scored the final goal of the game in the 86th minute. She dribbled the ball into the box with a pair of defenders chasing her and was able to hit the ball with her left foot, off the right post and into the net.
Kansas held a 22-8 advantage on shots, including a 10-4 edge for shots on goal. Severns led the Jayhawks with five shots, four of them on goal.
NOTES
• The four goals scored by Kansas in the second half were the most in a half since scoring five goals in the first half on Aug. 25, 2019 vs. Loyola Chicago.
• Watts scored the first goal of the season for Kansas.
• Dymond scored her first career goal in the 66th minute.
• Klanke scored her first goal and recorded her first assist as a Jayhawk. She missed the 2022 season with an injury.
• Gagné scored her first goal since the 2021 season after missing last season with an injury.
UP NEXT
Kansas hosts Vanderbilt for its home opener on Thursday, Aug. 24. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
Season tickets and individual tickets for the 2023 season are on sale now. Season tickets cost only $55 and includes all nine regular season home matches at Rock Chalk Park. Single-game and season tickets can be purchased here or by calling the Kansas ticket office at 785-864-3141. Single-game tickets will also be available to purchase at the ticket window at Rock Chalk Park on gamedays, beginning one hour prior to kickoff.
