Kansas State University Athletics
Thursday, September 2
Denver, Colo.
8 p.m.
Kansas State University
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Denver
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Kansas St.
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Pioneers End K-State’s Three-Match Win Streak
Sep 02, 2021 | Soccer
DENVER, Colorado – K-State looked to establish a new school record for longest winning streak, but a trio of first half goals by Denver sent the Wildcats to a 3-1 defeat on Thursday night at University of Denver Soccer Field.
"Denver is a really good team, so I give them credit for the way they opened the match tonight and their play overall," said K-State head coach Mike Dibbini. "I felt like the first 30 minutes we were on our back foot, and they were on their front foot. We needed to get the game to settle as quickly as possible. The game is about momentum. They punished us for mistakes but we had chances as well in the first half, to cut into it, so we could get ourselves in a better position in the second half. I felt like we were much better in the second half we were a lot more organized. We created a lot of chances, but when you dig yourself a hole and it's a really good team, it's a challenge."
Denver (4-0-0), a 2020 NCAA Tournament participant, took the lead in the 19th minute. A cross from the left side of the field by Addisyn Hyrup found the head of Denver's Riley Baker on the right post. The goal by the Pioneers ended K-State's shutout streak at a school-record 317:55.
The Pioneers added a second on a turnover at midfield by K-State after a free kick. Denver raced up the field and Natalie Beckman converted the chance. The third goal came in the 31st minute by Sydney Sharp, tapping in a cross.
K-State (3-2-0) closed to within two goals before halftime, 3-1, by capitalizing on a Denver miscue. Denver misplayed a corner kick, as the loose ball fell to Brookelynn Entz. Entz raced up the field unimpeded with Pioneer defenders in pursuit.
As a defender closed on Entz, she dished the ball to a wide-open Kyler Goins who was racing down the left side. Goins finished into the lower left corner of the net in the 37th minute.
The goal was the first of the season for the product of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the second of her K-State career. Goins is the seventh Wildcat this season to score a goal.
The assist by Entz was her second this season and was the 10th of her career, improving on her K-State school career record.
The teams played to a stalemate in the second half. K-State's best chances in the second 45 minutes came from Roo Yarnell-Williams and Riley Baker, who each had shot attempts that skirted over the crossbar.
Dibbini liked how his team responded to Denver's first 30 minutes and how the Wildcats played the final 60.
"I didn't think there was any panic at all from our players. They understood that, if they had the opportunity to play this game again in a couple of days, the result wouldn't look the same. They felt like we dug ourselves a hole and we shot ourselves in the foot a little bit. I think they understood that in this in this game, you have to come ready to bring the energy and bring the intensity and match it from the very get-go and I hope they can learn that going into the next match."
K-State will conclude the weekend on Sunday, as the Wildcats tangle with Colorado State on Sunday, September 5, at 1 p.m. (CDT). Sunday's match will air for free online on Mountain West Network. Live stats will also be available at kstatesports.com and on Twitter, @KStateSOC.
"Denver is a really good team, so I give them credit for the way they opened the match tonight and their play overall," said K-State head coach Mike Dibbini. "I felt like the first 30 minutes we were on our back foot, and they were on their front foot. We needed to get the game to settle as quickly as possible. The game is about momentum. They punished us for mistakes but we had chances as well in the first half, to cut into it, so we could get ourselves in a better position in the second half. I felt like we were much better in the second half we were a lot more organized. We created a lot of chances, but when you dig yourself a hole and it's a really good team, it's a challenge."
Denver (4-0-0), a 2020 NCAA Tournament participant, took the lead in the 19th minute. A cross from the left side of the field by Addisyn Hyrup found the head of Denver's Riley Baker on the right post. The goal by the Pioneers ended K-State's shutout streak at a school-record 317:55.
The Pioneers added a second on a turnover at midfield by K-State after a free kick. Denver raced up the field and Natalie Beckman converted the chance. The third goal came in the 31st minute by Sydney Sharp, tapping in a cross.
K-State (3-2-0) closed to within two goals before halftime, 3-1, by capitalizing on a Denver miscue. Denver misplayed a corner kick, as the loose ball fell to Brookelynn Entz. Entz raced up the field unimpeded with Pioneer defenders in pursuit.
As a defender closed on Entz, she dished the ball to a wide-open Kyler Goins who was racing down the left side. Goins finished into the lower left corner of the net in the 37th minute.
The goal was the first of the season for the product of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the second of her K-State career. Goins is the seventh Wildcat this season to score a goal.
The assist by Entz was her second this season and was the 10th of her career, improving on her K-State school career record.
The teams played to a stalemate in the second half. K-State's best chances in the second 45 minutes came from Roo Yarnell-Williams and Riley Baker, who each had shot attempts that skirted over the crossbar.
Dibbini liked how his team responded to Denver's first 30 minutes and how the Wildcats played the final 60.
"I didn't think there was any panic at all from our players. They understood that, if they had the opportunity to play this game again in a couple of days, the result wouldn't look the same. They felt like we dug ourselves a hole and we shot ourselves in the foot a little bit. I think they understood that in this in this game, you have to come ready to bring the energy and bring the intensity and match it from the very get-go and I hope they can learn that going into the next match."
K-State will conclude the weekend on Sunday, as the Wildcats tangle with Colorado State on Sunday, September 5, at 1 p.m. (CDT). Sunday's match will air for free online on Mountain West Network. Live stats will also be available at kstatesports.com and on Twitter, @KStateSOC.
Team Stats
KSU
DEN
Goals
1
3
Shots
9
19
Shots on Goal
1
9
Saves
6
0
Corners
3
11
Fouls
2
11
Scoring Plays
Riley Baker (1)
Assisted By: Addisyn Hyrup , Sydney Sharp
GOAL by DEN Baker, Riley Assist by Hyrup, Addisyn and Sharp, Sydney.
18:36
Natalie Beckman (1)
Assisted By: Sami Feller
GOAL by DEN Beckman, Natalie Assist by Feller, Sami.
20:34
Sydney Sharp (3)
Assisted By: Natalie Beckman
GOAL by DEN Sharp, Sydney Assist by Beckman, Natalie.
30:02
Kyler Goins (1)
Assisted By: Brookelynn Entz
GOAL by KSU Goins, Kyler Assist by Entz, Brookelynn.
36:14
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ SoccerM
/ SoccerF
/ SoccerM/F
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