Kansas State University Athletics
Thursday, September 26
Manhattan, Kan.
7 p.m.
Kansas State University
2-6-2, 0-1-0
0
vs
1
Baylor
5-2-3, 1-0-0
1
2
3
4
F
Baylor
0
0
0
1
1
Kansas State
0
0
0
0
0
K-State Takes Defending Big 12 Champs to Double Overtime
Sep 26, 2019 | Soccer
MANHATTAN, Kansas – K-State soccer opened its third season of Big 12 action on Thursday night at Buser Family Park against defending league champion Baylor. The Wildcats took the Bears into a second overtime, but Baylor scored the deciding goal to clinch a 1-0 win.
"It's a tough one as far as the way it ended," said head coach Mike Dibbini about the outcome. "I thought we played a heck of a game, we battled, we competed. They're a very good physical team, very aerial team. We had good moments, we fought to the very end and unfortunately just couldn't defend that last set piece but overall I am proud of us and we've just got to put this one behind us and move forward now."
K-State (2-6-2, 0-1-0 Big 12) was the first of the night to threaten the net in the defensive battle. In the 42nd minute, sophomore Chloe Fisher gathered the ball at the top of Baylor's 18-yard box and fired a hard ground ball that Baylor collected for the save.
Moments later, Baylor (5-2-3, 1-0-0) found their first shot on goal but K-State goalkeeper Rachel Harris stopped the attempt with a diving punch to send it away from trouble.
With seconds to play in the first stanza, the Bears received a deflection from six yards in front of the net on a long direct kick but Harris easily made the save on her line to keep the match scoreless.
Harris finished the night with a career-high and school record 12 saves on the night. Dibbini was proud of the effort from his redshirt goalkeeper.
"She's extremely impressive. She did a great job of keeping us in the game, making big save after big save, that's what we need and she gave us life and she was very impressive tonight."
In the second half, Harris made a pair of diving saves to keep Baylor off the board. K-State's Bailey Nemechek and Brookelynn Entz each pocketed a shot on goal in the second half that threatened to give the Wildcats the lead. Entz entered Thursday night ranked third in the Big 12 in total shots and added three to her ledger.
K-State's Shelby Lierz threatened to end the match in the first overtime. Lierz took open space in front of her and carried possession from the midline to just outside the 18-yard box. Lierz uncorked a line drive shot through traffic, but Baylor goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt deflected the ball into the air and caught it just off of her line. Wandt ended the night with four saves.
With their 11th corner kick of the night, Baylor's Ally Henderson found the head of Giuliana Cunningham who deflected the attempt into the upper left corner in the second overtime.
Baylor ended the night with a 26-10 advantage in total shots and a 13-4 lead in shots on goal.
Kansas State entered Thursday's match with the highest NCAA RPI in program history and started the match with three of K-State's 10 freshmen – Silke Bonnen, Nemechek and Shae Turner. Bonnen, who is second on the team in total minutes played this season, played all 102 minutes while Turner clocked 96 and Nemechek played a career-high 92.
K-State will wrap up the longest home stand in program history on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., against Texas. Sunday's match is Fort Riley Day and National Coffee Day. The K-State women's soccer team will honor the men and women of Fort Riley. All active duty military and veterans can purchase a general admission ticket for $3 at the gate. Also, the first 250 fans to the match will receive a free cup of coffee.
Sunday's match will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and available on 101.5 KROCK in Manhattan and kstatesports.com.
WHAT THEY SAID
MIKE DIBBINI, HEAD COACH
Overall thoughts…
"It's a tough one as far as the way it ended. I thought we played a heck of a game, we battled, we competed. They're a very good physical team, very aerial team. We had good moments, we fought to the very end and unfortunately just couldn't defend that last set piece but overall proud of us and we've just got to put this one behind us and move forward now."
On the Baylor goal…
"That's their game. They are very good in corners, they're very good at set pieces. I'm not sure till I go back to film and look at it and see if we had somebody unmarked or she just won the one-v-one aerial battle so I don't know."
On how impressed he was with Rachel Harris…
"She's extremely impressive. She did a great job of keeping us in the game making big save after big save, that's what we need and she gave us life and she was very impressive tonight."
On what effect Baylor's physical style had…
"I think early on it was an adjustment but once we got into the second half and we figured out that we just need to play the way we can play it got better. I thought there was momentum shifts a lot especially in the second half and we just couldn't get that one lucky break and that's what we're looking for, one break to get us around that corner."
On the offense tonight…
"Against a stout team I thought, they're hard to break down. I think if we kept knocking and chipping and trying to get closer to the goal. We're not going to beat them in a foot race, I mean, I don't have any vertical players right now they're all out for the rest of the year so we have stand up players that want to receive with their back to the goal and turn and play and piece it up. So vertically we're still trying to adjust and figure it out and throw different numbers in there but losing Caylee (Thornhiil) and Hannah (Davis) for the rest of the year that kind of sets us in a position where we have to figure out who can give us some vertical runs."
On the biggest improvement he wants to see before Texas...
"Just continue to focus, chip away, small details, and hopefully we get a lucky bounce."
BROOKELYNN ENTZ, JUNIOR MIDFIELDER
On her thoughts following the game…
"It just feels like we're doing everything right and we're just working so hard. We're getting our chances. It's just so much better soccer than we've ever played, but we're just not getting those breaks. It's just not coming for us. For us it's just frustrating because we've been working hard and it feels good in our team and it feels like we should be winning, even when we're on the field. It's just not coming for us, so it's a kind of a difficult one to take."
On balancing feeling good about the performance vs. accepting the loss…
"I mean obviously it's good for our team confidence to know that we played well against, I mean the defending champions. But still, we have a lot of work to do and obviously we haven't won a Big 12 game since KU my freshman year, so we're really looking to get that win. And we need it. We want to make the Big 12 tournament this year and it's very possible for us to do that."
On Rachel Harris' 12-save performance….
"I was watching her and it was like she was just flying through the air. It was insane. It just sucks that we couldn't get the win for her. She played so hard for us and she saved us so many times. She's an amazing player, amazing leader for us on the field. Yeah, she made some amazing saves tonight."
RACHEL HARRIS, SOPHOMORE GOALKEEPER
On her thoughts following the game…
"I mean I thought we played well. I thought it was going to be one of those games where they dominate the majority of the time, and we were gonna come down and have one opportunity to score, but, I was just in the right place at the right time, and that's a credit to our defense. I mean, they were dangerous, but our defense, they played well tonight."
On her program record 12 saves…
"I mean saves are saves. It's in the moment. I was in the right place at the right time for a couple of them, but, I mean, saves are saves."
On Baylor's game-winning goal…
"Well originally, they crossed it and Laramie cleared it out for a corner. We were yelling and their girl, I don't remember who scored, she was tall. We need to be on her and she got free on the other side a couple times and I think we just lost focus for a second and they capitalized. That's what good teams do."
On balancing her thoughts a great performance with a defeat…
"It's frustrating. I mean that could've happened in the run of play too, not in overtime. I thought everybody did their job tonight, and we just move on. We have another opportunity on Sunday, hopefully we'll get three points."
"It's a tough one as far as the way it ended," said head coach Mike Dibbini about the outcome. "I thought we played a heck of a game, we battled, we competed. They're a very good physical team, very aerial team. We had good moments, we fought to the very end and unfortunately just couldn't defend that last set piece but overall I am proud of us and we've just got to put this one behind us and move forward now."
K-State (2-6-2, 0-1-0 Big 12) was the first of the night to threaten the net in the defensive battle. In the 42nd minute, sophomore Chloe Fisher gathered the ball at the top of Baylor's 18-yard box and fired a hard ground ball that Baylor collected for the save.
Moments later, Baylor (5-2-3, 1-0-0) found their first shot on goal but K-State goalkeeper Rachel Harris stopped the attempt with a diving punch to send it away from trouble.
With seconds to play in the first stanza, the Bears received a deflection from six yards in front of the net on a long direct kick but Harris easily made the save on her line to keep the match scoreless.
Harris finished the night with a career-high and school record 12 saves on the night. Dibbini was proud of the effort from his redshirt goalkeeper.
"She's extremely impressive. She did a great job of keeping us in the game, making big save after big save, that's what we need and she gave us life and she was very impressive tonight."
In the second half, Harris made a pair of diving saves to keep Baylor off the board. K-State's Bailey Nemechek and Brookelynn Entz each pocketed a shot on goal in the second half that threatened to give the Wildcats the lead. Entz entered Thursday night ranked third in the Big 12 in total shots and added three to her ledger.
K-State's Shelby Lierz threatened to end the match in the first overtime. Lierz took open space in front of her and carried possession from the midline to just outside the 18-yard box. Lierz uncorked a line drive shot through traffic, but Baylor goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt deflected the ball into the air and caught it just off of her line. Wandt ended the night with four saves.
With their 11th corner kick of the night, Baylor's Ally Henderson found the head of Giuliana Cunningham who deflected the attempt into the upper left corner in the second overtime.
Baylor ended the night with a 26-10 advantage in total shots and a 13-4 lead in shots on goal.
Kansas State entered Thursday's match with the highest NCAA RPI in program history and started the match with three of K-State's 10 freshmen – Silke Bonnen, Nemechek and Shae Turner. Bonnen, who is second on the team in total minutes played this season, played all 102 minutes while Turner clocked 96 and Nemechek played a career-high 92.
K-State will wrap up the longest home stand in program history on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., against Texas. Sunday's match is Fort Riley Day and National Coffee Day. The K-State women's soccer team will honor the men and women of Fort Riley. All active duty military and veterans can purchase a general admission ticket for $3 at the gate. Also, the first 250 fans to the match will receive a free cup of coffee.
Sunday's match will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and available on 101.5 KROCK in Manhattan and kstatesports.com.
WHAT THEY SAID
MIKE DIBBINI, HEAD COACH
Overall thoughts…
"It's a tough one as far as the way it ended. I thought we played a heck of a game, we battled, we competed. They're a very good physical team, very aerial team. We had good moments, we fought to the very end and unfortunately just couldn't defend that last set piece but overall proud of us and we've just got to put this one behind us and move forward now."
On the Baylor goal…
"That's their game. They are very good in corners, they're very good at set pieces. I'm not sure till I go back to film and look at it and see if we had somebody unmarked or she just won the one-v-one aerial battle so I don't know."
On how impressed he was with Rachel Harris…
"She's extremely impressive. She did a great job of keeping us in the game making big save after big save, that's what we need and she gave us life and she was very impressive tonight."
On what effect Baylor's physical style had…
"I think early on it was an adjustment but once we got into the second half and we figured out that we just need to play the way we can play it got better. I thought there was momentum shifts a lot especially in the second half and we just couldn't get that one lucky break and that's what we're looking for, one break to get us around that corner."
On the offense tonight…
"Against a stout team I thought, they're hard to break down. I think if we kept knocking and chipping and trying to get closer to the goal. We're not going to beat them in a foot race, I mean, I don't have any vertical players right now they're all out for the rest of the year so we have stand up players that want to receive with their back to the goal and turn and play and piece it up. So vertically we're still trying to adjust and figure it out and throw different numbers in there but losing Caylee (Thornhiil) and Hannah (Davis) for the rest of the year that kind of sets us in a position where we have to figure out who can give us some vertical runs."
On the biggest improvement he wants to see before Texas...
"Just continue to focus, chip away, small details, and hopefully we get a lucky bounce."
BROOKELYNN ENTZ, JUNIOR MIDFIELDER
On her thoughts following the game…
"It just feels like we're doing everything right and we're just working so hard. We're getting our chances. It's just so much better soccer than we've ever played, but we're just not getting those breaks. It's just not coming for us. For us it's just frustrating because we've been working hard and it feels good in our team and it feels like we should be winning, even when we're on the field. It's just not coming for us, so it's a kind of a difficult one to take."
On balancing feeling good about the performance vs. accepting the loss…
"I mean obviously it's good for our team confidence to know that we played well against, I mean the defending champions. But still, we have a lot of work to do and obviously we haven't won a Big 12 game since KU my freshman year, so we're really looking to get that win. And we need it. We want to make the Big 12 tournament this year and it's very possible for us to do that."
On Rachel Harris' 12-save performance….
"I was watching her and it was like she was just flying through the air. It was insane. It just sucks that we couldn't get the win for her. She played so hard for us and she saved us so many times. She's an amazing player, amazing leader for us on the field. Yeah, she made some amazing saves tonight."
RACHEL HARRIS, SOPHOMORE GOALKEEPER
On her thoughts following the game…
"I mean I thought we played well. I thought it was going to be one of those games where they dominate the majority of the time, and we were gonna come down and have one opportunity to score, but, I was just in the right place at the right time, and that's a credit to our defense. I mean, they were dangerous, but our defense, they played well tonight."
On her program record 12 saves…
"I mean saves are saves. It's in the moment. I was in the right place at the right time for a couple of them, but, I mean, saves are saves."
On Baylor's game-winning goal…
"Well originally, they crossed it and Laramie cleared it out for a corner. We were yelling and their girl, I don't remember who scored, she was tall. We need to be on her and she got free on the other side a couple times and I think we just lost focus for a second and they capitalized. That's what good teams do."
On balancing her thoughts a great performance with a defeat…
"It's frustrating. I mean that could've happened in the run of play too, not in overtime. I thought everybody did their job tonight, and we just move on. We have another opportunity on Sunday, hopefully we'll get three points."
Team Stats
BU
K-STATE
Goals
1
0
Shots
26
10
Shots on Goal
13
4
Saves
4
12
Corners
11
5
Fouls
8
8
Scoring Plays
Cunningham, Giuliana (2)
Assisted By: Henderson, Ally
Header off a corner
102:10
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ SoccerM
/ SoccerF
/ Soccer
GK
/ SoccerD
/ SoccerMF
/ Soccer
MF
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