Before jumping into its first Big 12 Conference schedule next week, Kansas State women’s soccer put a cap on its 2017 non-conference schedule with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against Colorado State on Sunday at the K-State Soccer Complex. That’s according to a release from K-State Athletics.
Sunday’s win sent K-State to a new program high for wins in a season, five, surpassing the four wins from the inaugural season in 2016.
The overtime win was the first in program history, as the Wildcats had previously tied its other four overtime matches including a 0-0 draw at Oregon State to open the 2017 season.
“We felt like we controlled the game,” said K-State head coach Mike Dibbini. “We made some mental errors, mental mistakes, that allowed them to get back in the game and I think that shows a little bit of our youth. I felt like, as far as creating good chances, we had three quality goals today. We had opportunities to score some more. That team is pretty good, they stayed in there, they fought, we could not close the door on them but we executed our chances at the right moments and that is what happened today.”
The match winner for Kansas State (5-3-1) was scored by freshman midfielder Brookelynn Entz in the 95th minute, the latest goal in program history. Entz took a throw in from freshman forward Hannah Davis. Entz maneuvered to inside the 18-yard box and beat a solo defender to uncork her shot. The left-footed attempt from roughly 12 yards arced towards the far post and eventually curled in over the outstretched hands of Colorado State goalkeeper Hunter Peifer.
“That was really fun to finally get an overtime game in,” said Entz about the win. “We thought we were going to win when we were up 2-0 and then they came back and they got two goals and then going into overtime we really wanted to get the win because we needed this going into the Big 12.”
The goal for Entz was her third this season, moving her into the team lead. The assist by Davis was her second of the match and team-high fourth this season.
Kansas State took the early 1-0 lead, as Davis crossed a pass from the right side of the net in the 17th minute. Freshman midfielder Maddie Souder charged in and finished to the right post for her first collegiate goal.
“Honestly, it was all a blur,” said Souder about her goal. “I don’t even remember my goal I’m going to have to go back and watch it because it was so crazy. I’ve been wanting to score. All the freshmen have scored and I’ve just been so hungry to get a goal. And I knew when I was making that front post run that I had to get there and I just got my foot on the end of it. Once that goal came that just really got things going for us.”
K-State added a second goal in the 31st minute of the first half. Souder played the distributor on this goal, sending a pass to the left side of the 18-yard box. The pass found a wide opener Katie Cramer, who wound up and finished with a side kick into the lower left of the net for a K-State 2-0 lead.
The two first half goals marked the first time since August 26, 2016, at Oakland that K-State registered two or more goals in a first half.
Colorado State (2-4-2) closed to within one in the 35th minute. The Rams sent in a cross on a free kick. During the ensuing scramble for possession, a Colorado State attacker was brought down in the penalty area before attempting a shot. The Rams’ Beth Plentl converted the penalty kick, the second straight home match K-State has seen its opponent finish a first half penalty kick.
The Rams tied the match at two in the 66th minute. Hannah Gerdin sent a slow rolling pass to the left post from roughly 16 yards away. A miscommunication among the K-State defense left Maddi Rodriguez along with K-State goalkeeper Miranda Larkin. Rodriguez would use a low liner to beat Larkin to even the match.
Kansas State would finish the match with 21 total shots, including nine on goal. Colorado State registered 13 shots, including seven on goal. K-State recorded a 10-1 edge in corner kicks on Sunday.
Kansas State will make its Big 12 debut on Friday, September 22, as the Wildcats travel to Texas Tech.