Jayhawks dispatch of Sporting Blue Valley, 2-0
LAWRENCE, Kan. – A pair of goals in the game’s first 30 minutes proved to be the difference as the Kansas soccer team defeated Sporting Blue Valley’s U14 Boys team, 2-0, Wednesday night in exhibition play. Katie McClure and Grace Hagan tallied Kansas’ two goals as the Jayhawks remained unbeaten in their spring season.
The win moved the Jayhawks to 5-0-1 in their spring exhibition season, which included four victories during the team’s 10-day tour through Europe March 16-25.
“I thought we moved the ball really well tonight,” said head coach Mark Francis. “We’ve been really working on playing quickly and really finding our two-touch rhythm and I thought we did a good job of that. We did a good job of creating chances and probably should’ve had a few more goals, so just need to be a little more clinical on the finishing end.”
Kansas saw both its goals come within the first 30 minutes, one apiece for its two starting forwards. In the 13th minute Kathryn Castro slotted a pass in to McClure near the corner of the six-yard box. The sophomore forward turned and slotted in the game’s opening goal toward the far post to put KU up 1-0.
Thirteen minutes later, Taylor Christie and Hagan used some impressive passing during a 2-on-1 break to tally KU’s second goal of the night. Christie connected with Hagan at the end of the breakaway and the All-Big 12 forward found the back of the net and the Jayhawks found themselves with a 2-0 advantage.
KU would coast from there. The Jayhawk offense continued to create chances over the remainder of the game but were unable to send in another goal. Kansas ended the match outshooting SBV 20-2.
“Our speed of play has definitely gotten better (this spring),” said Francis on his team’s improvements over the last month. “We’ve moved the ball a lot quicker and much more consistently than we were in the fall. That’s really been our main focus in the spring and I think we’re starting to see that get better.”
The Jayhawks will continue spring play next week when they take the field against Missouri State on Saturday, April 14. Kick off from Rock Chalk Park is slated for 4 p.m.
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