K-State, Arizona Play to Draw on Thursday

Thursday, September 24

Manhattan, Kan.

6:30 p.m.

Kansas State University

5-1-4, 0-1-1

Arizona

3-4-3, 0-0-2

Team	1	2	Final F
Arizona	0	1	1
Kansas St.	0	1	1

K-StateSOC vs Arizona, Thursday, September 24, 2026, Buser Family Park, Manhattan, KS Final Score: KSU 1, Arizona 1

Photo by: Kinzey Cassidy

Sep 24, 2026 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (pdf)Match Highlights

MANHATTAN, Kansas – Following a controversial first half, K-State took an early second half lead but Arizona equalized to send Thursday night's match to a 1-1 draw at Buser Family Park.

With Thursday's result, K-State (5-1-4, 0-1-1 Big 12) has now tallied four draws on the season which are the second-most for a season in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The teams were scoreless after the first half, however it wasn't for a lack of effort by K-State, which could have had two penalty kicks in a 15-minute stretch.
- In the 25th minute, K-State's Gabby DeMers attempted a cross in the 18-yard box that appeared to hit the hand of an Arizona (3-4-3, 0-0-2) defender. K-State initiated a challenge, but the Video Assisted Review (VAR) by the referee upheld the call on the field.
- In the 40th minute, K-State's Rilyn Rintoul attempted a shot following a corner kick. The shot again appeared to hit an Arizona defender's hand inside the 18-yard box. K-State was forced to use its second challenge of the match. The VAR by the referee upheld the call on the field, bringing the ire of the crowd.
- In the 55th minute, the K-State tandem of DeMers and McKinnan Braswell teamed up to put Kansas State up 1-0. Braswell looped a pass from the left sideline towards the middle of the field. DeMers took a pair of touches to control the ball and fired a shot from 20 yards, nestling inside the left post.
- This was DeMers' fifth goal of the season and sixth of her career. It was her first tally in a Big 12 match. With her five goals, DeMers' is tied for third in program history for goals in a single season.
- The assist for Braswell was her second of the season and the sixth of her K-State career. She ranks tied for fourth in school history for career assists.
- In the 58th minute, Arizona squared the match as Allyson Brown scored just inside the left post.
- Kansas State registered a 20-10 advantage in total shots, including a 9-3 lead in shots on goal. K-State also carded a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.

QUICK FACTS
- Head coach Colleen Corbin is 34-31-21 (.517) in her five career seasons as a head coach. She owns a 12-7-9 (.589) mark in her two seasons at K-State.
- The Wildcats are 28-49-11 (.381) in games played at Buser Family Park, including a 6-4-3 mark under Corbin.
- This was the second meeting in the series between K-State and Arizona; Arizona leads the series, 1-0-1.
- The Wildcats are 11-62-12 all-time in Big 12 Conference matches.
- The Wildcats are 18-44-14 in its history in matches played in the month of September, including a 1-1-3 mark this season.

TEAM NOTES
- When scoring first, the Wildcats own an all-time record of 45-15-7, including a 10-2-3 record during Corbin's tenure.
- K-State's 19 goals this season are third in a single season in program history.
- When tied at halftime, K-State is 18-37-22 in its history, including a 4-4-6 mark under Corbin's leadership. This season, K-State is 1-0-2 when tied at the break.
- K-State held the advantage in total shots, 20-10. When doing so, the Wildcats are 38-21-13 in its history, including a 12-3-6 record under Corbin.

PLAYER NOTES
- With her six career goals, DeMers is tied for ninth in program history for career goals.
- With her 12 points this season, DeMers ranks tied for fourth in school history for points in a single season.
- Rintoul attempted six shots with four on goal. She is sixth in school history for career shots on goal with 33.
- Rintoul, Braswell and junior goalkeeper Maddie Sibbing each made their 28th straight starts at K-State.
- Sophomore midfielder Langley Mayers, junior defender Chloe Dillbeck and junior defender Emerson DeLuca made their 19th career starts.

FROM THE HEAD COACH
K-State Head Coach Colleen Corbin
On the offensive pressure despite ending in a tie…
"I continue to be bummed out for the kids that we're not walking away with three points after putting together what I've received to be a really, really solid performance. I thought our energy, our intensity, our competitiveness was really, really good. I think, especially when coming out of the locker room, we really imposed ourselves and created some really dangerous opportunities. Gabby [DeMers'] goal is phenomenal. Just a really, really awesome effort in the final third, and like I said, I think we did enough to see the ball hit the back of the net a little bit more, and was really proud of top to bottom the team's energy and grit and belief. Disappointed to not get three points tonight, but not because of how the team played."

On Gabby DeMers' goal and the physical effort she gave…
"There's just an individual, it almost feels like desperation at times, but in the best way possible, right? Where she feels like she's willing to do anything and everything to put herself in a position to score, and that's what we need, especially in these highly competitive matchups in the Big 12. So, just really excited for her to continue to see her growth and her willingness to be uncomfortable and put herself in uncomfortable positions and swim through two or three defenders to try to find a window. Just really proud of her."

On the VAR no-call decision …
"The explanation I was given was that when the ball hit her hand, specifically on the second one, that she was retracting her hand back into her body into a natural position, and so it wasn't a handball. Obviously, in those moments, we're going to have to continue to challenge them because those are goal-scoring moments, and at the end of the day, the referee makes the call, and we have to be okay with it."

FROM THE FIELD
Senior Midfielder McKInnan Braswell
On what she saw on the goal that she assisted…
"You know, a lot of times it's just gambling, putting the ball in a good position, and I trust my forwards to go work and make something out of nothing. So it was really just, 'I'm going up 50/50 with the girl, and I see purple in front of me, and I'm hoping someone can go and win it.' And of course, I can always count on Gabby (DeMers) to go run through the ball and get something in the back of the net. And I have to expect getting the back of the net. So yeah,"

On what they prepared for before the match…
"Honestly, I think we're just really hungry for a win right now, especially Big 12 play coming in. We need to get points, and every team is another opportunity to get more points and more goals, more wins. So there's not really anything we do differently prepping for the game. That's just who we are. We go out, and we're willing to have a dogfight. Whoever we're up against."

On team goals for Sunday vs. Arizona State…
"I know it's silly to say, but we are scratching for the first win. I think that's the biggest part. It's still the beginning of Big 12, and we might just need to have one under our belt to really get us going, get us fired up and just have that carry us through the rest of the season."

Sophomore Forward Gabby DeMers
On how the goal-scoring play developed…
"Well, I saw my friend McKinnan (Braswell) over here. She headed the ball, put it back forward, and I was like, 'I have to be the one to get the ball down, get first to the ball, and I saw a chance to just hit it. At halftime, when we went to the locker room, we talked about just taking our shots and our chances. And I was like, 'I need to take more chances. I took a shot or took a touch and it went in."

On her connection with Braswell tonight…
"Well, me and McKinnan are very talkative on the field. We have similar personalities, so just connecting with her, she's a great friend, and just knowing and believing that she's going to get that first ball and being the one to get that second ball because my teammates are going to make that effort, make sure I get the second ball, and just generate as many chances as I can. I think just the awareness that I've developed of just being in the right spot has definitely put me in the right positions to have the ball hit the back of the net."

UP NEXT
K-State will end its homestand on Sunday, as the Wildcats host Arizona State at 12 p.m. Tickets for Sunday's match are available at kstatesports.com/tickets or by calling (800) 221-CATS. Sunday's match is Fort Riley Day and Two Events in One Day, as fans can purchase a $16 ticket package for admission to both K-State soccer and volleyball on Sunday.

Sunday's match will air on ESPN+.

How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Soccer, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.