SE: K-State Soccer Eager to Open Up Home Schedule, to Play in Front of Large Crowd Again
Aug 30, 2017 | Soccer, Sports Extra
For the majority of the K-State women's soccer players, September 16, 2016 marked the largest crowd they had ever played in front of. Two weeks after that date, those same players had competed in front of the second-, third- and fourth-largest crowds of their careers.
Even better? All of those matches occurred exactly where the Wildcats practice. The Wildcat newcomers can expect more of the same on Wednesday at 7 p.m., when K-State hosts Omaha to start its eight-match home schedule.
"I'm super excited. Playing in front of such a big crowd, I've never done it before. It's very nerve-wracking but I think we're going to come out, play hard and do well," said freshman forward Hannah Davis, who came down from Lincoln, Nebraska, to watch a few of K-State's home matches last season. "Being here last year, it was super exciting watching the games, so I can't even imagine being on the field."
"I think it's going to be an awesome atmosphere," added sophomore Laramie Hall of Wednesday's game, which is down to standing-room only tickets. "I know so many fans are expected, so I'm just really excited to see what we can do and how many people show up."
Last season, the program's first, K-State ranked fourth in the country for average attendance (2,265). In its first home match ever, K-State set the state of Kansas attendance record, with 2,403 Wildcat fans showing up.
"It was insane. I know, for me, it was probably the most people I had ever played in front of," Hall said. "It was just really nerve-wracking at first, but after we got into the flow of the game, you block it all out and it's not that big of a deal anymore. I'm hoping that can be a faster transition this year so we get comfortable more easily."
More than 2,000 fans attended each of K-State's four home matches last season. For comparison, the Wildcats have only played in one other environment with more than 1,000 fans, which was at Saint Louis to start the 2016 season. Even more, only 29 teams in the country averaged more than 1,000 fans per match last season, while only three others brought in at least 2,000 on average.
"It's crazy. K-State fans are wild. It's super exciting and it gets us pumped up," Davis said of K-State's fan support. "I think being at home is going to help a lot. Having our families here and even our friends cheering us on, I think it will be good."
If 2016 was any indication, K-State's level of play rises when at home. The Wildcats went 2-1-1 in last year's home schedule, including a pair of 2-0 victories to end it.
"We never want to lose at home. That's an added energy boost," Hall said. "We want to come out strong and we want to have a super hard work rate because that's what we can control and that's what we're good at, but especially because we're at home, we want to do that a lot more now."
K-State sits at 1-1-1 after a three-match road trip to start the season. The Wildcats capped its road swing with a 1-0 victory at Oral Roberts last Thursday, when they recorded the team's first goal of the season and the program's first road win since beating Omaha, 1-0, last season in Nebraska.
"We're off to a good start, but we want to keep that momentum going," K-State head coach Mike Dibbini said. "Offensively, we're seeing things. We just have to work on the execution part, and it's coming."
Hall, a midfielder, said K-State's defense has been a strong point thus far, as the Wildcats have shut out two its three opponents, including a Pac-12 opponent in Oregon State.
"Defensively, we have held it together so well," Hall said. "Not that the offense hasn't done well, but the defense has just been really on point and organized, no matter what's thrown at us. I think our ability to stay calm and collected throughout multiple games has been pretty impressive to me."
Omaha enters Wednesday's match, which will be broadcast on COX Channel Kansas and K-StateHD.TV, with a 0-3 record. Most recently, the Mavericks lost a 2-0 battle to Northern Iowa, which K-State will travel to play on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Wildcats will then return to play three of their next four matches at home, where some of the largest college soccer crowds in the country will be waiting for them.
"I'm pretty excited to get the energy back in our home field — the excitement of playing at home and showing our product," Dibbini said. "I think we've come a long way."
Even better? All of those matches occurred exactly where the Wildcats practice. The Wildcat newcomers can expect more of the same on Wednesday at 7 p.m., when K-State hosts Omaha to start its eight-match home schedule.
"I'm super excited. Playing in front of such a big crowd, I've never done it before. It's very nerve-wracking but I think we're going to come out, play hard and do well," said freshman forward Hannah Davis, who came down from Lincoln, Nebraska, to watch a few of K-State's home matches last season. "Being here last year, it was super exciting watching the games, so I can't even imagine being on the field."
"I think it's going to be an awesome atmosphere," added sophomore Laramie Hall of Wednesday's game, which is down to standing-room only tickets. "I know so many fans are expected, so I'm just really excited to see what we can do and how many people show up."
Last season, the program's first, K-State ranked fourth in the country for average attendance (2,265). In its first home match ever, K-State set the state of Kansas attendance record, with 2,403 Wildcat fans showing up.
"It was insane. I know, for me, it was probably the most people I had ever played in front of," Hall said. "It was just really nerve-wracking at first, but after we got into the flow of the game, you block it all out and it's not that big of a deal anymore. I'm hoping that can be a faster transition this year so we get comfortable more easily."
More than 2,000 fans attended each of K-State's four home matches last season. For comparison, the Wildcats have only played in one other environment with more than 1,000 fans, which was at Saint Louis to start the 2016 season. Even more, only 29 teams in the country averaged more than 1,000 fans per match last season, while only three others brought in at least 2,000 on average.
"It's crazy. K-State fans are wild. It's super exciting and it gets us pumped up," Davis said of K-State's fan support. "I think being at home is going to help a lot. Having our families here and even our friends cheering us on, I think it will be good."
If 2016 was any indication, K-State's level of play rises when at home. The Wildcats went 2-1-1 in last year's home schedule, including a pair of 2-0 victories to end it.
"We never want to lose at home. That's an added energy boost," Hall said. "We want to come out strong and we want to have a super hard work rate because that's what we can control and that's what we're good at, but especially because we're at home, we want to do that a lot more now."
K-State sits at 1-1-1 after a three-match road trip to start the season. The Wildcats capped its road swing with a 1-0 victory at Oral Roberts last Thursday, when they recorded the team's first goal of the season and the program's first road win since beating Omaha, 1-0, last season in Nebraska.
"We're off to a good start, but we want to keep that momentum going," K-State head coach Mike Dibbini said. "Offensively, we're seeing things. We just have to work on the execution part, and it's coming."
Hall, a midfielder, said K-State's defense has been a strong point thus far, as the Wildcats have shut out two its three opponents, including a Pac-12 opponent in Oregon State.
"Defensively, we have held it together so well," Hall said. "Not that the offense hasn't done well, but the defense has just been really on point and organized, no matter what's thrown at us. I think our ability to stay calm and collected throughout multiple games has been pretty impressive to me."
Omaha enters Wednesday's match, which will be broadcast on COX Channel Kansas and K-StateHD.TV, with a 0-3 record. Most recently, the Mavericks lost a 2-0 battle to Northern Iowa, which K-State will travel to play on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Wildcats will then return to play three of their next four matches at home, where some of the largest college soccer crowds in the country will be waiting for them.
"I'm pretty excited to get the energy back in our home field — the excitement of playing at home and showing our product," Dibbini said. "I think we've come a long way."
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