Kansas Scores Late to Defeat Saint Louis, 1-0

Saturday, September 12

St. Louis, Mo.

3:30 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

6-2-0, 0-0-0

Saint Louis

4-2-2, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Kansas	0	1	1
Saint Louis	0	0	0

Box Score (PDF)

Kansas Scores Late to Defeat Saint Louis, 1-0

9/12/2026 6:51:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats Nate Lie Postgame Interview

ST. LOUIS – Kansas soccer picked up its third-straight win on Saturday, scoring in the 86th minute to defeat the Saint Louis Billikens 1-0 at Hermann Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. Marit McLaughlin scored the game-winning goal for the Jayhawks.

"What a grueling match," Kansas head coach Nate Lie said. "Saint Louis is a great team, great program, and they really defend their home turf. I'm proud and happy that we were on the right side of things. I didn't think we were our best in the first half. We looked tired, understandably, with the heat, but thought we could have controlled the game a little bit more."

Lie continued, "We were knocking on the door for quite a bit, but we couldn't find that result. Thankfully, in that last five to six minutes, we were able to find one, and those are the kind of goals that decide games like this. But I thought the team did a very nice job seeing the game out the last five or six minutes without conceding many opportunities. I'm really proud of this win. It was always going to be a difficult game."

Saint Louis (4-2-2) started off the match with a quick attack in the first minute, drawing a corner kick that was cleared by the KU defense. Kansas was able to counter with a corner kick of its own but was unable to get a clear shot.

In the 11th minute, Kansas (6-2-0) was able to put some pressure on the SLU defense when Jillian Gregorski took a deflection and took a strike toward goal, but was blocked. Just after the shot, Kansas drew another corner kick, but could not find a goal.

After minutes of back and forth possession, Kansas found another chance to score in the 26th minute. Gregorski took a run with the ball to the top of the 18-yard box and took a shot that was blocked, before passing it to an open Jocelyn Herrema. Herrema then shot the ball, but the ball went high, keeping the match scoreless.

With the first half winding down, the KU attack was able to push the ball down the field to Kate Langfelder. Langfelder took a strike toward the bottom-left corner of the goal, but the Saint Louis keeper made the save.

The Jayhawk defense stifled the Billiken attack in the first half, conceding only one shot and one corner kick in the first period. KU registered four shots and four corners going into halftime.

Kansas upped the offensive pressure to start the second half, registering five shots in the first 15 minutes of the period, but could not find a goal.

In the 68th minute, KU drew a foul at the top of the box for a free kick. Livvy Moore took the free kick and tried to pass the ball toward goal, but the kick was blocked by the SLU defensive line, preventing yet another opportunity for Kansas.

Saint Louis got its best scoring chance in the 80th minute to break the scoreless tie. Hope Kim took a shot from the right side of the box toward goal, but KU keeper Sophie Dawe corralled the ball for her first save of the match.

The Jayhawks found another good chance with seven minutes remaining, as Herrema drove into the box and took a shot toward the goal but was saved by the keeper for a corner kick.

Kansas finally found a goal in the 86th minute to take a late 1-0 lead. Caroline Castans crossed the ball into the box, where the ball was deflected around before Herrema passed the ball to McLaughlin, who took a shot with her head that bounced off the crossbar right back to her. She then took a shot and scored the goal to take the lead.

KU then drew a penalty kick off a handball by a SLU defender in the box with three minutes later. Jillian Gregorski took the penalty kick, but the shot was saved by the Saint Louis defender to keep the match at 1-0.

Kansas was able to play out the rest of the match, claiming a 1-0 win, KU's third straight win.

NOTES