Jayhawks Blanked by Red Raiders, 1-0

LUBBOCK, Texas – A Jamie Fletcher shot with only 30 seconds remaining slammed off the crossbar as the Kansas Jayhawks were unable to connect on the late equalizer, eventually falling to the Texas Tech Red Raiders Friday night, 1-0 inside John B. Walker Soccer Complex.
 
The loss dropped the Jayhawks to 6-9-2 on the season and 1-4-1 in Big 12 play. Texas Tech remained unbeaten in conference with a 5-0-2 record and moved to 14-1-2 in 2013.
 
“I thought we played pretty well tonight, to be honest,” said head coach Mark Francis. “We had the better opportunities in the second half. Jamie got a great shot off and hit the crossbar with 30 seconds left. Stuff like that happens when things aren’t going your way. But I was proud of the kids tonight, they battled hard. It just didn’t go our way.”
 
For the sixth time this season, the Jayhawks allowed an opponent goal within opening 15 minutes. Texas Tech sophomore Janine Beckie, the Big 12’s reigning rookie of the year, got the ball one-on-one with a KU defender on the right side of the attacking third. Beckie made a move and beat the Jayhawk to the right corner of the penalty box. The sophomore shot in a left-footed strike that snuck inside the far post to put her team up 1-0 14:45 into the opening period.
 
Kansas saw a few near goals over the next ten minutes, both off the head of senior forward Caroline Kastor. Sophomore Ashley Williams sent in a pair of corners from the right side in the 18^th and 23^rd minutes and was able to find Kastor on the end each. However, the senior’s headers were stopped by TTU’s goalkeeper, Victoria Esson for two of her four saves on the night.
 
West Virginia took the 1-0 lead into the half after few opportunities by either team over the final 20 minutes of the opening frame. The Red Raiders and Jayhawks combined for nine shots in the first 45.
 
The intensity level picked up in the second half with the teams combining for five fouls and a pair of yellow cards in the final period.  Both teams saw near goals in the final 35 minutes of action, first with the Red Raiders hitting the left post off a Hannah Devine header in the 58^th minute.
 
The Jayhawks had their best chance of the night in the 63^rd minute when Caroline Kastor broke away from her defender after collecting a long punt from KU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Stroud. The senior raced downfield with nothing but the TTU keeper in her way, and a defender at her side. Kastor got off a right-footed shot from just inside the Red Raider 18-yard box toward the left post, but Esson was there for a diving save to again turn away another promising KU attack.
 
The Red Raiders made it tough for Jayhawks to set up any opportunities over the final 10 minutes of action, sending long balls down the field and controlling most of the possession late in the match. However, KU saw one final glimmer of hope in the final minute when Fletcher gained possession just outside the TTU penalty box, made her defender miss and get off a right-footed strike from around 18 yards out. The equalizer appeared as though it was heading for the back of the net and would extend the match into overtime, but no luck as the shot hit the crossbar and bounced to the feet a Red Raider, who cleared the ball away as time expired.
 
Kastor and Fletcher were the only two Jayhawks to tally shots on the night, with each getting off five shots apiece. Stroud managed to amass three saves to up her season total to 83.
 
 
The Jayhawks will now head north to Stillwater, Okla., for a Sunday, Oct. 27 date with the Oklahoma State Cowgirls. KU and OSU are slated to kickoff at 12 p.m., from the Cowgirl Soccer Complex. With a win Sunday, Kansas will clinch a spot in the 2013 Big 12 Championship to be hosted in Kansas City, Nov. 6-10.
 
 
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