K-State Set for Big 12 Opener Against Cincinnati

MATCH #9
Cincinnati (1-4-2, 0-0-0 Big 12) at K-State (2-4-2, 0-0-0 Big 12)
Thursday, September 14, 2023 | 7 p.m. | Buser Family Park | Manhattan, Kan.

WATCH LIVE
Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Brian Smoller
Analyst: Oscar Montenegro
Sideline: Hannah Whetstone

LIVE STATS
www.kstatesports.com

SERIES HISTORY
First meeting
Last Meeting: -
Last Result: -
Last K-State win: -
K-State vs. Big 12: 8-46-5

MANHATTAN, Kansas - K-State (2-4-2) completes its season-high four-match home stand at Buser Family Park, as the Wildcats host Cincinnati on Thursday at 7 p.m., for the 2023 Big 12 opener. For tickets, call (800) 221-CATS or visit kstatesports.com/tickets.

• Thursday's match is Socctoberfest. Fans that registered in advance for the event, will receive a K-State beer stein, access to a pre-match food and beer tasting and a ticket to tonight's match. In addition to Soccertoberfest, it is the annual "Turn Buser Purple" match, as fans are encouraged to wear purple. The first 500 public and K-State students in attendance will receive a free K-State hand clapper.
• The Big 12 opener will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Oscar Montenegro (analyst) and Hannah Whetstone (sideline) will be on the call.

Last Time Out
• K-State dropped a pair of matches last weekend, falling 1-0 to 16th-ranked Memphis on Thursday. The Wildcats fell to Oral Roberts, 2-1, to complete its 2023 non-conference schedule.
• The Wildcats were shutout for the fourth consecutive match, narrowly falling to 16th-ranked Memphis as the Tigers scored late in the second half.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Murphy Sheaff registered seven saves for the second straight match. Sheaff has three matches this season with five or more saves.
• Against Oral Roberts on Sunday evening, senior Maddie Weichel tallied her first goal of the season and the second of her career, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
• Weichel's goal in the 15th minute ended K-State's scoreless streak at 424:30, which dated back to the second half of the match against UTSA on Aug. 24.
• Oral Roberts squared the match in the 64th minute, scoring on a penalty kick. This was the second straight week a Wildcat foe was awarded a penalty kick. K-State opponents are 12-of-15 on penalty kicks in K-State's eight seasons of action, including 2-of-2 this season.
• The Golden Eagles redirected a corner kick in the 72nd minute to go in front, 2-1.

Purple Pitch
• K-State has played 61 home matches in its 129-game history, but have felt more comfortable at Buser Family Park.
• The Wildcats are 19-36-6 (.361) at home, including a school record four-match home field winning streak and a five-match unbeaten streak which spanned the end of the 2016 home schedule and the start of the 2017 home slate.
• In the 61 home matches, the Wildcats have been outscored by its opponents, 80-60 (-20).
• Overall in matches played within the Sunflower State, Kansas State owns a record of 21-37-7 (.377).

Weichel Says Why Not
• Senior Maddie Weichel added to her career scoring ledger in K-State's final non-conference match of 2023.
• Weichel rolled a shot past the Oral Roberts goalkeeper in the 15th minute for her first goal of the season.
• This was Weichel's second career goal and her first since scoring against Texas Tech in the 2020 season, her freshman campaign.
• In her career, Weichel has tallied nine points (2 goals, 5 assists). She ranks tied for sixth in school history for career assists.

Punching the Time Card
• Senior Maddie Weichel and junior Kenzi Gillispie have been mainstays in the K-State lineup during their time in the Little Apple.
• Weichel is ninth in school history for career matches played with 59 appearances. With her next appearance, Weichel will become the ninth player in program to play in 60 or more matches. She is tied for eighth in school history for games started with 45.
• Gillispie is also tied with Weichel for career starts. Gillispie has started 45 consecutive matches since debuting against Weber State on Aug. 19, 2021. This is the longest current streak among the 2023 roster.
• Both Weichel (3,779:07) and Gillispie (3,797:40) have played over 3,700 minutes in their K-State careers.

Singh Us a Song
• Senior forward Kiran Singh moved onto the K-State record books in her first appearance as a Wildcat.
• At Green Bay on August 17, Singh recorded two assists - both on corner kicks.
• With the assists, the product of Cypress, Texas, tied for third in school history for assists in a senior season. She was the first Wildcat to record two or more assists in their K-State debut.
• The product of Cypress, Texas, added her third assist of the season against Oral Roberts on September 10.
• With her three assists this season, Singh ranks tied for ninth in program history for assists in a K-State career. She ranks tied for sixth in school history for assists in a season and is tied for second in school history for assists in a senior/fifth-year season.
• Singh owns 11 assists in her collegiate career, as she registered eight assists in three seasons at UTSA.

Baker the Goal Maker
• Riley Baker continues to contribute to K-State's attack in her junior season.
• Baker notched an assist on Maddie Weichel's goal against Oral Roberts, Baker's first of the season.
• The forward from Flower Mound, Texas, leads the Wildcats in total shots (18) and is one of four Wildcats with five or more shots on goal (5). She has established a new career-high for shots in a season.
• Last season, Baker established new career season-highs for matches played (17), goals (2), points (4) and shots on goal (9).
• In her career, Baker owns three goals, two assists and eight points. She has 48 career shots and 16 shots on goal (.438 SOG%).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Riley Baker

Kenzi Gillispie

Murphy Sheaff

Kiran Singh

Maddie Weichel

Kansas State University Athletics