Kansas Opens Big 12 Play with 1-1 Draw at Cincinnati

Friday, September 18

Cincinnati, Ohio

6 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

6-2-1, 0-0-1

Cincinnati

2-2-4, 0-0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Kansas	0	1	1
Cincinnati	0	1	1

Box Score (PDF)

9/18/2026 9:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Kansas soccer played to a 1-1 draw against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Friday evening at Gettler Stadium in its first Big 12 Conference match of the season. Faith Johnston scored the lone goal for the Jayhawks.

Kansas moved to 6-2-1 (0-0-1 Big 12) this season, as Cincinnati moved to 2-2-4 (0-0-1 Big 12) on the year.

"I'm disappointed leaving here with a 1-1 tie when we were winning late in the game. It had felt like we had control of the match," Kansas head coach Nate Lie said. "I thought we played most of the match on the front foot, controlling territory and limiting chances. Cincinnati was doing a really good job of playing balls into space and hunting first and second balls, which gave us some issues. But we have to be more composed to not allow those opportunities."

The match opened with both teams trading possession, as neither side recorded a shot during the first 10 minutes. The first chance came in the 12th minute, when Johnston's first shot of the match was blocked before Jillian Gregorski followed with a shot that sailed high, resulting in a goal kick.

Kansas continued to apply offensive pressure, as Caroline Castans collected a loose ball and fired a shot wide right of the goal in the 17th minute. Soon after, Jordan Rowan made a run with the ball before firing a shot toward the bottom of the goal, but the Cincinnati goalkeeper made the save to keep the match scoreless.

The Jayhawk defense continued to hold strong through the remainder of the first half, limiting the Bearcats to just one shot and keeping Cincinnati off the scoreboard heading into halftime. Kansas recorded nine shots in the opening period while maintaining pressure offensively.

In the second half, both offenses generated quality scoring chances, with each team finding the back of the net. Kansas got on the board first in the 66th minute of the match. Jocelyn Herrema made a run into the 18-yard box and was fouled, drawing a penalty kick. Gregorski stepped up to take the penalty, but her attempt was initially saved by the Cincinnati goalkeeper. Johnston was there for the rebound, however, firing it into the back of the net to give KU a 1-0 lead.

The Bearcats responded 15 minutes later, finding the back of the net to even the match at 1-1. Cincinnati's Tiana Campbell controlled a free kick on the left side of the box before firing a shot toward the bottom-left corner that found the back of the net past KU goalkeeper Sophie Dawe.

With the match winding down, Kansas had one final opportunity to find the go-ahead goal, but Gregorski's shot sailed high and left of the goal, as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

NOTES

Kansas moved to 6-2-1 on the season.
Kansas moved to 22-8-3 in matches played away from Lawrence under Lie.
Kansas held a 14-3 shot advantage over Cincinnati.
Kansas registered three corner kicks.
Johnston scored her third goal of the season, and the sixth of her career.

UP NEXT
Kansas will return home for its Big 12 Conference home opener on Arizona State on Thursday, Sept. 24 for Beak the Stigma Day. The match will be played at 6 p.m. CT at Rock Chalk Park.