Watts, Kansas Dominate UCF in 4-0 Shutout Victory

Thursday, September 26

Lawrence, Kan.

06:00 PM

University of Kansas

5-3-3, 2-2-0

UCF

3-2-3, 1-1-1

UCF

Kansas

Watts, Kansas Dominate UCF in 4-0 Shutout Victory

9/26/2024 9:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Lexi Watts scored two goals to help lift Kansas to a 4-0 win against the UCF Knights at Rock Chalk Park on Thursday night. Saige Wimes and Lauren Wood also scored in the victory to give Kansas its first conference win at home this season.

"Before the game, we just asked our team to find our identity," head coach Nate Lie said. "Make sure we were crystal clear on it and go play directly to it. The first thing we said in the room, one of the players, was our identity first and foremost is going to come out of the press. It's really great and really affirmative that we scored two goals directly from that press early in the game. It set the tone, gave us energy and gave us confidence. It probably put a very good, very talented UCF team on their heels."

Lie continued, "Then, we just kept chipping away and just kept investing. We played a lot of players a lot of minutes and rotated through, and I was really proud of how we kept the intensity through 90 minutes and almost even scored a couple times there at the end. All in all, I'm glad we could do it at Rock Chalk Park. I think this is our first conference win, our first Division I win at Rock Chalk Park. We thought we left a few on the table, so it was nice to get a good resounding win."

Just 368 days removed from a 1-0 loss to UCF in Orlando, the Jayhawks came out in dominating fashion on Thursday evening. Kansas opened up the match with Watts scoring in the fifth minute. Watts forced the UCF goalkeeper into a turnover in the middle of the box and tapped it into the back of the net to put Kansas ahead 1-0.

The Jayhawks extended their lead in the 21st minute as Wimes stole the ball in the 18-yard box and shot it through the legs of the UCF goalkeeper for the second goal of the evening and Wimes' fourth of the year.

The third and final first half Kansas goal was put in off a rebound from the UCF goalkeeper. In the 25th minute, Wimes crossed the ball to the middle of the box to Watts who fired a shot on target that was saved by UCF, but Wood was there to clean up the rebound on the back post. The goal was the first of Wood's career and provided Kansas a 3-0 lead at the break.

The Jayhawks finished the half with nine of their 10 shots on goal while UCF only had two shots.

The second half featured back-and-forth action until the 76th minute when Watts connected on her second goal of the evening. Kate Langefelder sent the ball over to Makayla Merlo who crossed it to Watts waiting at the back post to direct it into the goal. That made it a 4-0 Kansas lead and ultimately where the game ended.

"I think that was a really good win," Watts said. "There were a couple games where we wish we could go back and fix a couple of the key mistakes that happened. I think for the most part we're happy with this game and we're wanting to take this game and move forward and win some more games."

KU held a 17-6 edge on shots, including 12-2 in shots on target in the match. Kansas improved to 5-3-3 on the season and 2-2-0 in Big 12 play, while UCF fell to 3-2-3 this year and 1-1-1 in conference action.

Notes
• Kansas surpassed its overall win total from the 2023 season.
• Kansas secured its first conference win at home this season.
• The four-goal margin of victory was the largest for Kansas in a conference game since Oct. 4, 2015 at Iowa State (four goals).
• The margin of victory in a conference match at home was the largest since Oct. 29, 2004 vs. Iowa State (four goals). Rock Chalk Park opened in 2014, making it the largest margin of victory in a conference match in the Rock Chalk Park era.
• The four goals were the most in a conference game since Nov. 15, 2020 vs. Oklahoma (4).
• Kansas earned its fourth shutout of the season.
• Kansas' three first half goals tied its most in a half this season (first half vs. Friends on Sept. 15).
• Kansas improved to 5-1 in the all-time series against UCF.
• Watts recorded her second career multi-goal game (Oct. 27, 2022 vs. Iowa State). She scored her third and fourth goals of the season and the 11th and 12th goals of her career. Watts has scored four goals in the last four matches.
• Wimes scored her fourth goal of the season and the sixth of career.
• Wood scored her first career collegiate goal.

UP NEXT
Kansas will travel to Boulder, Colorado, this weekend to play the Colorado Buffaloes on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CT and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+.