NORMAN, Okla. – K-State was in search of its fourth road win of the season on Sunday, but Oklahoma answered an early second half goal from the Wildcats with one of their own to send K-State to a 2-1 defeat at John Crain Field.
“We had a lot of opportunities to win this game, we just didn't get them to go in but we played well enough to win,” said K-State head coach Mike Dibbini about Sunday’s result. “The margin of error in a match like this on the road on a Sunday is so small. We need to stay focused because of that in some areas.”
K-State (6-8-2, 1-4-2 Big 12) ended the afternoon with an 18-12 advantage in total shots and a 7-5 edge in shots on goal. The Wildcats piled up a 10-5 lead in total shots in the second half.
The Wildcats trailed by one at halftime, but squared the match at one goal apiece, just 33 seconds into the second half. Junior defender Jesse Loren played a ball over the top of the Oklahoma defense looking for a purple uniform. Racing to the ball on the other end was junior forward Kyler Goins.
Goins collected the ball and was one-on-one with Oklahoma goalkeeper Nikki Panas, who 30 yards off her goal line to attempt to clear the danger. Goins danced around Panas and calmly finished into the wide-open net from 18 yards.
“We went into a 4-4-2 in the second half,” said Dibbini about the adjustments K-State made to record the early goal. “We wanted to put pressure on their center backs, so they wouldn't be able to deny the services. That was helping them a lot, especially with the way we opened the match. We just took that away from them and it helped us with the chances.”
This was the fourth goal of the season for Goins and her team-high third in Big 12 action. With the goal, Goins owns five career K-State goals and ranks tied for fourth for career goals scored. With her three Big 12 goals this season, the product of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, ranks tied for second for goals in Big 12-only matches in a season.
Oklahoma (6-9-1, 2-4-0 Big 12) went back in front, 2-1, in the 49th minute on a wind-aided effort. Bri Amos took possession of the ball on the left side of the field five yards outside the 18-yard box. With the wind at her back, Amos lofted the ball towards the right post and banking the ball off the post and into the net.
In the first half, the Sooners took the initial lead in the 21st minute. K-State attempted to set-up possession from its defending third. The Sooners intercepted the outlet pass with the first shot from Leonie Weber from 10 yards on the left post. The shot went wide, however, Alexis Strickland was the only player on the right post. She collected the rebound and finished into the open frame.
K-State will play its final Big 12 road game of the 2021 season on Friday, October 22, as the Wildcats travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to face 11th-ranked TCU.
– kstatesports.com –