Gregorski Scores Twice as Kansas Dominates Arizona 4-0

Thursday, October 17

Tucson, Ariz.

9:00 PM

University of Kansas

7-5-4, 4-4-1

Arizona

9-5-2, 4-4-1

Kansas

Arizona

Gregorski Scores Twice as Kansas Dominates Arizona 4-0

10/17/2024 11:57:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights

TUCSON, Ariz. – Kansas soccer took down the Arizona Wildcats with a commanding 4-0 victory at Murphey Field at Mulcahy Soccer Stadium on Thursday night. Freshman Jillian Gregorski scored twice, junior Lexi Watts and sophomore Emily Tobin each added a goal and redshirt freshman Sophie Dawe secured her fifth shutout of the season.

"Proud of our team today," head coach Nate Lie said. "I thought this was probably our best game of the year. It comes at a good time. We're coming down the stretch and every point is important. We had a tough travel day yesterday and playing a very good Arizona team. Watching them on film they're pretty sophisticated in their possession and their build. We knew it was going to be a challenge. We knew that we would have to come with a lot of energy and a lot of intentionality."

Lie continued, "I thought we were very, very good from the first minute to the last. We went into halftime with a 1-0 lead which can be very dangerous. Often times, it's about who gets that next goal. I'm proud of our team and proud of Jill for finding that goal. It was nice to have Lexi get one and Tobin get one. It was a nice evening here…I think we're rounding into form a bit. It doesn't mean anything if we don't show up on Sunday, but I think we're playing some pretty consistent quality soccer right now."

Kansas came out aggressive at the start of the match. The Jayhawks put a shot on goal that required a save in the first 21 seconds. Although that shot did not go in, Kansas did strike in the 14th minute.

After scoring the game-winning goal in the last match, freshman Jillian Gregorski found herself in the right place at the right time. The Jayhawks took a corner kick and it was deflected off the head of redshirt sophomore Saige Wimes right to Gregorski in the middle of the box. She floated a shot over the defense and into the top of the net. The goal gave the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead that they would take into halftime.

The Jayhawks continued to be relentless in the second half and it paid off in the 53rd minute. Gregorski flicked a header forward to Wimes who created a great opportunity herself at the elbow of the box and drilled the ball off the crossbar. The rebound went directly to Gregorski who was crashing the net and was able to finish for her second goal of the evening. That made it 2-0 Jayhawks.

In the 60th minute, Kansas was able to add another goal. Shortly after a corner kick, sophomore Caroline Castans found graduate Makayla Merlo at the elbow of the box and she sent a cross into the middle of the box for Watts to sneak it past the goalkeeper just inside the right post for a 3-0 lead.

Kansas would wrap up the scoring in the 85th minute. Sophomore Emily Tobin stole a pass and dribbled into the middle of the field. Tobin took a shot from far out that curled inside the right post for the fourth and final goal of the evening.

Kansas held an 11-4 advantage on shots, including 10-1 in shots on goal. The Jayhawks also had an 11-2 edge on corner kicks. Kansas improved to 7-5-4 on the season and 4-4-1 in conference play, while Arizona dropped to 9-5-2 this year and 4-4-1 in Big 12 action.

NOTES
• Kansas has two conference wins on the road this season after not having one conference win on the road in the last three seasons combined.
• Kansas recorded its second four-goal margin of victory in conference play this season. The last time Kansas had two conference wins with at least a four-goal margin of victory in the same season was 20 years ago in 2004.
• Kansas has a shutout in back-to-back conference matches for the first time since Sept. 25-Oct. 2, 2020 vs. Texas Tech/at Kansas State.
• Kansas has six shutouts as a team this season. That is the most since the 2020 season (6).
• Kansas scored three goals in the second half. The three goals were the most in the second half of a conference game since Sept. 29, 2019 vs. Baylor (3) and the most on the road in a conference game since Oct. 23, 2011 at Iowa State (4).
• Kansas handed Arizona its first loss at home this season.
• Kansas limited Arizona to only one shot on goal.
• Gregorski scored her team-high seventh and eighth goals of the season. Her eight goals are the most by a Kansas freshman since 2012 when Ashley Williams had eight goals as a freshman.
• Watts collected her sixth goal of the season. That matches her career high for goals in a season when she scored six as a freshman in 2022.
• Tobin scored her first career goal.
• Castans and Merlo each recorded their fourth assist of the year.
• Wimes had two assists and now has four assists on the season.
• Dawe secured her fifth shutout of the season. Her five shutouts are the most by a Kansas player since Sarah Peters in 2020 (6).

UP NEXT
Kansas will head to Tempe, Arizona, to play the Arizona State Sun Devils on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.