MANHATTAN – K-State strung together solid chances at the Kansas net on Friday night at Buser Family Park, but the sixth-ranked Jayhawks found the back of the net with a second half attempt to edge past the Wildcats, 1-0.
K-State is now 0-3-0 this season, while Kansas improves to 3-0-0.
K-State redshirt freshman goalkeeper Cameron Illingworth registered her first career start and finished with four saves.
“I thought she stepped up big,” said K-State head coach Mike Dibbini about Illingworth’s performance. “She made some big plays and she came off her line really good and aggressive. Her punts were really good and her goal kicks were really good. She did some positive things for us.”
In the 13th minute, K-State senior Brookelynn Entz nearly gave the Wildcats an early advantage for the second straight match. After gathering a long ball, Entz was one-on-one with Kansas goalkeeper Sarah Peters. Entz’s shot from 10 yards on the right side of the field beat Peters but narrowly went over the crossbar.
“It was part of our plan, we’re trying to get better in certain areas and that is something we have been working on strategically as far as having a lot more intensity in our first ten, fifteen minutes,” said K-State head coach Mike Dibbini about the team’s tempo to start the match.”
K-State junior Riley Dietrich, making her first career start and the 21st appearance of her career, threatened the Kansas frame in the 30th minute. Dietrich outmaneuvered the Kansas defense and sent a shot from 20 yards but was just wide of the left post.
The Wildcats and Jayhawks were all square on shot attempts with three each in the first half, with neither team registering a shot on goal.
In the 54th minute, K-State’s Avery Green forced Peters to make a save. It would be her only one of the night. Five minutes later, K-State’s Kyler Goins threatened the top right corner with a left-footed effort from 30 yards but the attempt sailed just over the bar.
Kansas would score the only goal of the match in the 60th minute, as Mandi Duggan finished from eight yards.
The Jayhawks finished the night with an 8-6 edge in total shots which included a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal. Kansas held the lead in corner kicks, 7-2.
The Wildcats will make the first of two trips to the state of Texas next week, as K-State travels to Austin to face Texas at 5 p.m., on Friday. The match can be seen on the Longhorn Network and can be heard for free at kstatesports.com.
– kstatesports.com –