On the Cusp of a Milestone
Oct 25, 2022 | Soccer, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
It's been a mountainous climb for the Kansas State women's soccer program, which began from the ground up in 2016, qualified for the 2020 Big 12 Tournament that was cancelled due to COVID, came within a game of reaching the tournament last season, and now sits on the cusp of a potential tournament berth in the final week of the regular season.
If K-State, 6-8-3 overall and 2-4-2 in the Big 12, either beats West Virginia, 6-4-7 and 3-1-4, or ties the Mountaineers in Thursday's 6 p.m. meeting in Morgantown, West Virginia, the Wildcats are assured a spot in the Big 12 Tournament for the first time in the history of the program.
"It's been a long battle here for the last six years in the Big 12, and not being able to actually play in the Big 12 Tournament when we earned it in the COVID season was tough and heartbreaking," K-State head coach Mike Dibbini said. "To actually have the opportunity to make it would be amazing for the players that have put in a lot of time and effort and work into trying to achieve their goal.
"It would be a big milestone, probably the biggest milestone in program history, to finally get there and to have the opportunity play for something."
K-State tied Kansas 1-1 in its home finale on Friday at Buser Family Park. The Wildcats have lost just one of their last four games. After winning at Baylor 2-1, the Wildcats suffered a 1-0 loss to Texas Tech, but bounced back with a 2-1 victory over Oklahoma on October 16 prior to tying the Jayhawks.
It's one of the best four-game league stretches in program history for K-State, which has tied its school record for single-season victories.
"Going forward we still are totally in control of what's to come for the rest of the season," K-State midfielder Caylee Thornhill said. "We just want to keep playing. We still have this week to prove why we deserve to keep going into this season. We want to continue playing in November."
Thornhill, a senior from Lenexa, Kansas, ranks in the top 10 all-time in career points, career game-winning goals, career assists, career assists per game, and career shots on goal. She recorded her second career game-winning goal against Oklahoma.
"A lot of what we've been talking about this season is even if we go up or if the opponent scores just focusing on that next thing," she said. "You can't lose focus. We just focus on the next thing, just trying to build, get the energy up, and get a goal."
Dibbini has been proud of his players' efforts.
"Players have been grinding and putting in the extra effort, doing the little things right and focusing on one day at a time, one training at a time, and one moment at a time," he said. "They don't try to look at the big picture of the results, but look at what they can do every play, and then the results will hopefully fall our way."
K-State has recorded five shutouts this season behind junior goalkeeper Alaina Werremeyer, who has a school record-tying 10 career shutouts. Werremeyer, a native of Blue Springs, Missouri, has started 39 times in 40 career matches — both school records — while she also has a school-record 199 saves and 11 victories.
Offensively, senior forward Kyler Goins heads toward the end of her career as one of the greatest players in school history. She ranks second in school history with 10 goals and with 23 career points. She leads K-State with five goals this season, including two game-winning goals, and she ranks seventh in the Big 12 with 2.76 shots per game and ninth with 1.06 shots on goal.
"What have I learned the most about this team? They're resilient in so many ways," Dibbini said. "They've competed in the Big 12 where they can definitely walk away saying they left everything on the field. I couldn't be any prouder than where we've come from and where we're going."
For now, the focus remains on handling business at West Virginia. K-State conceivably could still earn a Big 12 Tournament berth with a loss. Baylor and Kansas are also in the mix. Bottom line: Things will bode well for the Wildcats if both Bears and Jayhawks lose or play to a draw in their final matches on Thursday.
K-State's focus? Win.
"We control our own destiny right now," Dibbini said. "If we can go out and get a result at West Virginia it'll take care of things for us."
K-State finished last season with a school record-tying six wins. The Wildcats have matched that mark again this season.
The Wildcats are hardly complacent. They appear hungry for Thursday night and solidifying that spot in the Big 12 Tournament.
"Every year, we talk about trying to grow whether that's getting a result against a team we never have before, or getting a goal against teams we never have before," Thornhill said. "We always talk about what's next for this program. We're knocking on the door.
"We don't want to be tip-toeing across the finish line, we want to sprint across the finish line and make that history."
It's been a mountainous climb for the Kansas State women's soccer program, which began from the ground up in 2016, qualified for the 2020 Big 12 Tournament that was cancelled due to COVID, came within a game of reaching the tournament last season, and now sits on the cusp of a potential tournament berth in the final week of the regular season.
If K-State, 6-8-3 overall and 2-4-2 in the Big 12, either beats West Virginia, 6-4-7 and 3-1-4, or ties the Mountaineers in Thursday's 6 p.m. meeting in Morgantown, West Virginia, the Wildcats are assured a spot in the Big 12 Tournament for the first time in the history of the program.
"It's been a long battle here for the last six years in the Big 12, and not being able to actually play in the Big 12 Tournament when we earned it in the COVID season was tough and heartbreaking," K-State head coach Mike Dibbini said. "To actually have the opportunity to make it would be amazing for the players that have put in a lot of time and effort and work into trying to achieve their goal.
"It would be a big milestone, probably the biggest milestone in program history, to finally get there and to have the opportunity play for something."
K-State tied Kansas 1-1 in its home finale on Friday at Buser Family Park. The Wildcats have lost just one of their last four games. After winning at Baylor 2-1, the Wildcats suffered a 1-0 loss to Texas Tech, but bounced back with a 2-1 victory over Oklahoma on October 16 prior to tying the Jayhawks.
It's one of the best four-game league stretches in program history for K-State, which has tied its school record for single-season victories.
"Going forward we still are totally in control of what's to come for the rest of the season," K-State midfielder Caylee Thornhill said. "We just want to keep playing. We still have this week to prove why we deserve to keep going into this season. We want to continue playing in November."
Thornhill, a senior from Lenexa, Kansas, ranks in the top 10 all-time in career points, career game-winning goals, career assists, career assists per game, and career shots on goal. She recorded her second career game-winning goal against Oklahoma.
"A lot of what we've been talking about this season is even if we go up or if the opponent scores just focusing on that next thing," she said. "You can't lose focus. We just focus on the next thing, just trying to build, get the energy up, and get a goal."
Dibbini has been proud of his players' efforts.
"Players have been grinding and putting in the extra effort, doing the little things right and focusing on one day at a time, one training at a time, and one moment at a time," he said. "They don't try to look at the big picture of the results, but look at what they can do every play, and then the results will hopefully fall our way."
K-State has recorded five shutouts this season behind junior goalkeeper Alaina Werremeyer, who has a school record-tying 10 career shutouts. Werremeyer, a native of Blue Springs, Missouri, has started 39 times in 40 career matches — both school records — while she also has a school-record 199 saves and 11 victories.
Offensively, senior forward Kyler Goins heads toward the end of her career as one of the greatest players in school history. She ranks second in school history with 10 goals and with 23 career points. She leads K-State with five goals this season, including two game-winning goals, and she ranks seventh in the Big 12 with 2.76 shots per game and ninth with 1.06 shots on goal.
"What have I learned the most about this team? They're resilient in so many ways," Dibbini said. "They've competed in the Big 12 where they can definitely walk away saying they left everything on the field. I couldn't be any prouder than where we've come from and where we're going."
For now, the focus remains on handling business at West Virginia. K-State conceivably could still earn a Big 12 Tournament berth with a loss. Baylor and Kansas are also in the mix. Bottom line: Things will bode well for the Wildcats if both Bears and Jayhawks lose or play to a draw in their final matches on Thursday.
K-State's focus? Win.
"We control our own destiny right now," Dibbini said. "If we can go out and get a result at West Virginia it'll take care of things for us."
K-State finished last season with a school record-tying six wins. The Wildcats have matched that mark again this season.
The Wildcats are hardly complacent. They appear hungry for Thursday night and solidifying that spot in the Big 12 Tournament.
"Every year, we talk about trying to grow whether that's getting a result against a team we never have before, or getting a goal against teams we never have before," Thornhill said. "We always talk about what's next for this program. We're knocking on the door.
"We don't want to be tip-toeing across the finish line, we want to sprint across the finish line and make that history."
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