Kansas Destined for Sweet 16 With 3-1 Victory Against No. 20 Louisville

Thursday, November 20

Durham, N.C.

3 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

16-5-3, 6-4-1

Louisville

13-5-3, 6-2-2

Louisville

Kansas

Kansas Destined for Sweet 16 With 3-1 Victory Against No. 20 Louisville

11/20/2025 6:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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DURHAM, N.C. – For only the third time in school history, Kansas soccer is headed to the Sweet 16 after a 3-1 victory against No. 20 Louisville at Koskinen Field on Thursday evening in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Trailing 1-0, Faith Johnston scored an equalizer with four minutes to go in the first half and Jillian Gregorski and Lexi Watts each scored in the final 10 minutes of the match to seal the game.

Kansas will be playing in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019. Over the last two seasons, Kansas now has 19 road/neutral wins, which is the most in the country. Kansas improved to 16-5-3 on the season and 10-10-0 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks have never advanced farther than a Sweet 16 match.

In Thursday's win, Caroline Castans broke the single-season school record with her 14th and 15th assists of the season on the first two goals for Kansas. Johnston scored her second goal of the NCAA Tournament, while Gregorski scored her career-high 10th goal of the year and Watts extended her career high to 11 goals.

"We started a little bit slow, which we were going to continue to try to address," Kansas head coach Nate Lie said. "But I'm really proud of how the team stuck in there, held their ground, and then slowly, slowly started to gain momentum, gain territory, and feed into our identity and what we like to do. It was a really, really important goal from Faith (Johnston) before halftime to tie the game and to give us that burst of energy. I thought her and Jocelyn (Herrema) were tremendous in their shift up front, and then really proud of the second half that we just put out there."

Lie continued, "The field tilted downward in our favor and allowed us to stay on the front foot. Louisville did find a few instances to break through, but when they did, I thought our defenders and our team defended with purpose and honor. Getting those two goals there in the second half was really awesome. Caroline (Castans), who gets so many assists, got to the right spot, and put a really good shot on frame, and the goalkeeper saved it, and Jill (Gregorski), as she always is, was there to clean it up. When you're defending a 2-1 lead, it's a lot easier if you can make it 3-1 rather than to just hold on, and credit to Lexi (Watts) for getting in the right spot and then having a composed professional finish. I can't be more proud of this group and this team, and I'm very happy and proud to be their coach."

Kansas had a great opportunity to score first when Livvy Moore took a corner kick and put the ball into the box to Gregorski who got her head on the ball, but it went over the goal.

Louisville (13-5-3) struck first in the 19th minute with a goal by Grace Maddox off a corner kick. Kansas goalkeeper Sophie Dawe punched the ball on the cross and made a leaping save, but the ball ultimately found the net for a 1-0 Louisville lead.

The Jayhawks were able to even the game in the 41st minute. Castans took a corner kick and passed the ball to Lydia Viets who passed the ball to Johnston in the box, where she struck the ball to the far left post and into the goal to tie the game at 1-1. The game was even at the half.

"I'm just trying to help our team out the best I can," Castans said. "I think one of my strengths are my crosses, so I'm just trying to put the ball in dangerous places and my team is doing a great job at finishing them."

Kansas had a chance to break the tie in the 56th minute, when Moore advanced the ball to a sprinting Saige Wimes at the right side of the box and took a shot towards the far post, but the ball went just wide of the post to keep the score at 1-1. Another opportunity by Jocelyn Herrema in the 64th minute was deflected over the crossbar by the Louisville goalkeeper to preserve the 1-1 game.

KU continued to control the pace and possession of the second half and was finally rewarded in the final 10 minutes of regulation. Watts made a pass from the far side of the field to Gregorski at the top of the box where she passed it along to Castans for a shot on goal. A save was made but the rebound went right to the middle of the six-yard box for Gregorski to tap in the game-winning goal in. Kansas led 2-1 with a little over eight minutes remaining.

"I could see Caroline running on my back shoulder," Gregorski said. "I just tried to get the ball to her because I knew she's wide open. Then like she always does, she hits a clean strike, the goalkeeper saves it, and I'm just lucky to be there in the right spot to finish it."

Less than four minutes later, Kansas found itself with a great opportunity again. Livvy Moore controlled possession of the ball around midfield and sent a through ball to Watts who got behind the defense and beat the goalkeeper to the far right post. Her goal made it 3-1 Kansas in the 86th minute.

Kansas held a 17-6 advantage on shots, including 7-3 in shots on goal. The Jayhawks also had a 10-1 advantage in corner kicks.

NOTES
• Kansas advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history and the first since 2019.
• Kansas won its 19th road/neutral game over the last two seasons, which is the most in the nation. The Jayhawks are 9-2-1 in games played away from Lawrence this season.
• Kansas improved to 16-5-3 on the season and 10-10-0 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The 16 wins are the fourth most in school history.
• Kansas has set a new single-season school record with 154 points this season.
• Kansas drew 10 corner kicks, which is the most in an NCAA Tournament match in program history.
• Kansas matched its most goals ever scored in an NCAA Tournament match. It is the fifth time in program history and the first time that Kansas has scored three goals in back-to-back NCAA Tournament games.
• Castans set the single season record in assists in program history, recording her 14th and 15th assists of the season. It was also her fourth assist of the NCAA Tournament, which is the most by a Kansas player in one tournament run.
• Gregorski scored her career high 10th goal of the season, and the 18th of her career.
• Watts scored her team-leading and career high 11th goal of the season, and the 28th of the season.
• Johnston scored her third goal of the season, and her second goal of the NCAA Tournament.
• Viets recorded her fourth assist of the season.
• Moore recorded her fourth assist of the season.

UP NEXT
Kansas will face No. 2-seeded Duke on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. CT in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.