From K-State Athletics
Playing in a heavy rain throughout the match on Sunday, Kansas State soccer didn’t allow the conditions to dictate the final as the Wildcats blanked Oakland at the K-State Soccer Complex, 4-0. The win marks the first time in program history that K-State has concluded the opening weekend with a 2-0-0 record.
Kansas State controlled the ball throughout most of the first half, generating a 15-0 advantage in total shots in the opening 45 minutes. This was the first time in program history K-State held an opponent without a shot attempt in the first half of a match.
The Wildcats broke through for its first goal of the afternoon in the 32nd minute. The seventh corner kick of the first half for K-State was taken by from Aly Rocha from the right of the Oakland net. Rocha sent her kick into the six-yard box and found the head of Avery Green. Green’s shot toward the right post was saved by an Oakland defender.
The resulting carom found the foot of freshman forward Chloe Fisher 16 yards from the net. Fisher gathered the ball and sent her shot skipping across the wet turf. Her shot went through the traffic in front of the frame and found the back of the net in the lower left corner.
K-State broke open the match in the 53rd minute on a long pass between sophomores Brookelynn Entz and Hannah Davis. Entz sent a long pass from just beyond midfield to a streaking Davis to the top of the Oakland 18-yard box. Davis gathered the ball and beat the Golden Grizzlies goalkeeper on the right side of the field from eight yards away.
The goal was the first of the season for Davis and the third of her career. The assist was the first of the season for Entz and the second of her career.
The Wildcats added an insurance goal in the 61st minute. Junior forward Katie Cramer took a breakaway opportunity, driving just over 35 yards from the Oakland net. Cramer put the ball through an oncoming Oakland defender’s legs and continued her dash to the frame. The product of Goddard, Kansas, was able to avoid the Golden Grizzlies goalkeeper with a subtle chip and finished off the play by tapping the ball in from three yards.
The goal was Cramer’s first of the season and third of her career. It was her first goal since Sept. 17, 2017, against Colorado State.
Cramer also added an assist to her final stat line on Sunday, as she aided sophomore forward Christina Baxter on her goal in the 76th minute. Cramer found a charging Baxter, who was able to chip the ball over the Oakland goal keeper for K-State’s fourth and final goal on the afternoon.
Baxter finished the afternoon with a career-high five total shots including a career-best three on goal. This was her first goal of the season and the second of her career. The assist by Cramer was the fourth of her career and first in 2018.
K-State goalkeeper Emma Malsy recorded her second shutout of the weekend. Malsy registered two saves on the afternoon, both in the second half. Malsy is the first K-State goalkeeper to register a pair of shutouts in the opening weekend of a season.
Overall, Kansas State tied the school record with 13 shots on goal. The Wildcats outshot Oakland, 27-4. K-State tallied nine corner kicks on the afternoon and did not allow an Oakland corner kick attempt.
Kansas State will conclude its season-opening three-match home stand on Thursday, as the Wildcats host Drake at 7 p.m. Thursday’s match is World Cup Night, as fans are encouraged to wear their favorite national team apparel to the match.
