In their match on Thursday night, the Wildcats faced off against a new opponent, the Gonzaga Bulldogs. This is the first time the Bulldogs from Spokane, Washington have come to Kansas State.
The Bulldogs came into this game with a 4-2 record on the season so far. The Wildcats are now 1-4-2.
Along with the Bulldogs’ arrival, extraterrestrial visitors also descended upon K-State for Area 51 night. People with alien antennas and morph suits filled the stands.
At the beginning of the first half, the Wildcats maintained good ball possession and were able to stay on the Bulldogs’ side of the field. With great field position for most of the first half, the Wildcats were able to get off eight shots on goal, but no successful goals.
K-State junior midfielder Brookelyn Entz and redshirt freshman midfielder Bailey Nemechek led the team with four shots each. Senior midfielder Laramie Hall followed close behind with two shots. At the half, the score was tied 0-0.
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During halftime, the alien spectators took to the field to attempt to score on Willie the Wildcat.
At the beginning of the second half, the Bulldogs came back with a vengeance, doubling their shots within the first 10 minutes. K-State’s senior goalkeeper Emma Malsy had her hands full with multiple saves.
With 11 minutes left in the second half, redshirt senior midfielder India Jencks sunk one in for the Bulldogs bringing the score to 1-0 in favor of Gonzaga.
As the clock wound down to the last five minutes, junior forward Christina Baxter assisted by Hall got a shot off for a goal to tie the game 1-1.
In the last three minutes, the Bulldogs got a penalty kick, which senior forward Madeline Gotta kicked in for a goal to bring the score to 2-1 Gonzaga.
As the clock ran down to the last 10 seconds, Hall got a fast break and passed to Baxter who scored a goal to tie the game 2-2, and send the game into overtime. This is the latest goal ever scored by the Wildcats in regulation play. Baxter knew it was now or never.
“I’m going to get up there, I’m going to score this goal,” Baxter said to K-State Sports after the game.
In overtime, the Bulldogs won with a goal by Gotta off a penalty kick making the final score 3-2 Gonzaga. This brings Gonzaga’s record to 5-2 and K-State’s to 1-4-2.
Although the Wildcats fought hard in the second half, Gonzaga was able to hold on with a total of 10 shots on goal to K-State’s five.
“I thought we played very, very well,” head coach Mike Dibbini said to K-State Sports. “I saw lots of things in our team that I haven’t seen in the past”.
The next game for K-State will be on Sunday against Tulsa as a part of its five-match homestand at Buser Family Park.
