ROUND ROCK, Texas (Kansas State Athletics) – K-State received its first taste of the 2022 Sprouts Farmers Market Big 12 Soccer Championship quarterfinals, but the Wildcats were unable to extend their run as top seed Texas secured a 4-0 win on Sunday at Round Rock Multipurpose Complex.
Kansas State ends its season at 6-10-3 and made its first-ever appearance in the Big 12 Soccer Championship. Texas advances to the Big 12 semifinals and improves their record to 14-1-4.
FROM THE HEAD COACH
K-State Head Coach Mike Dibbini
On the historic seventh season and how they achieved their goals…
“I’m extremely proud of our group. They competed all year. They got better as the year went on. They stuck together in the lows. They played hard and I just couldn’t be more proud of where we started and where we’re at now. Well deserved for the for the group. The seniors brought that leadership this year, and the rest of the group that are returning brought a lot of them that was much needed in this program and just excited to see where this program continues to go. We’re better and we have a great group coming back to learn for next season and understand what it takes when you get to the tournament. I am looking forward to the future of this program. It’s very, very bright.”
On the play of Kyler Goins…
“Kyler has the ability to create so much for us in the attack with her speed and her finishing ability. Today was one of those games where she if she could have found a goal in the back of the net, things could have been different. Texas is a really good side and a really good team. They are a top 20 team for a reason, but I felt like for the most part, despite some unfortunate calls, the final score wasn’t an indication of how close the game was.”
On the play this season of goalkeeper Alaina Werremeyer…
“Her experience is valuable. She has been in there for the last three years and going into her senior season for her that with all that big 12 experiences on it will help this program continue to move forward and we’re just excited that she had a brilliant season and broke records but she is not done.”
FROM THE FIELD
Senior midfielder and co-captain Kursten von Klahr
On achieving the goal of playing in the program’s first Big 12 Championship…
“It’s so special and I’m over the moon that this is the team we got to do it with. It’s always hard work. When you set a goal, you have to work really hard for it and we just bust our butts every day on the field and in the locker room, just trying to get better every chance we can. And I think stepping out onto that field today and seeing our fans there, seeing the coaches and everyone like the support staff that we have with us, it was a proud moment for the Cats today.”
On the growth of the freshmen and sophomores this season…
“I just told them they made our job very easy this year. Because all we ask them is to work hard and learn as much as they can. And I think when we stepped into Big 12 play this year, we just flipped a switch and it was the depth that we had coming off the bench and even the freshmen starters that we had, were a pivotal pivotal part of our team.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
– Texas finished with a 20-10 advantage in shots, but only held a 9-7 edge in shots on goal.
– K-State threatened to go in front in the ninth minute in the first half. Senior Bailey Nemechek played a ball over the top of the Texas defense and found a sprinting Kyler Goins on the left side of the field. The senior from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, collected and shot from 15 yards but the attempt was saved.
– Texas went in front 1-0 in the 26th minute. On their sixth corner kick of the opening half, the Longhorns pinged the ball between Emily Jane Cox and Lexi Missimo before Holly Ward put it in.
– The Longhorns added their second goal in the 28th minute on another corner kick. As the corner kick was attempted, Cox collided with K-State goalkeeper Alaina Werremeyer. The ball deflected off Cox and into the netting.
– Texas went in front 3-0 as Missimo finished a penalty kick in the 34th minute. This was the first penalty kick attempted by a K-State opponent this season and the first since October 3, 2019, against Baylor.
– The Longhorns tacked on a goal in the 70th minute from Trinity Byars.
QUICK FACTS
– The Wildcats are 0-8-0 all-time against Texas.
– Sunday’s match marked the second neutral site match in program history (1-1-0).
– Werremeyer ended the afternoon with fives saves. This was her 21st career match with five or more saves and eighth this season.
– Senior Kyler Goins made her 48th career start on Sunday and moves into sole possession of sixth in school history for career starts.
– Goins finished the day with three shots on goal and moved into second in school history for career shots on goal with 38.
– With her 52 total shots and 21 on goal, Goins set the school records for total shots and shots on goal in a senior season.
– Senior Bailey Nemechek played in her 67th career game on Sunday and settles into fourth on the K-State career games played list.
– Nemechek started her 55th career match and will remain in third in school history for career starts.
– von Klahr made her 42nd career start, all consecutive since joining the program in the 2020 season, and remains 10th in school history for career starts.
– Freshman Jazmin Brown set the school record for minutes played in a freshman season, as she recorded 1,476 minutes played this season in 19 matches played and 18 starts. Brown played the full 90 minutes this season in 12 matches, including the final 11 matches of the season.
UP NEXT
K-State concluded its seventh season of action with its first appearance in the Big 12 Soccer Championship. The Wildcats tied the school record for wins in a season and were led in scoring by seniors Goins and Caylee Thornhill with 12 and seven points, respectively.
