After winning the previous three games against Omaha, Austin Peay and North Alabama, the Kansas State soccer team (3-2-0) hoped to set a new school record on Thursday with a win over Denver (4-0-0).
However, things did not go as planned, with the Wildcats falling 3-1 to the Pioneers at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
K-State struggled early, allowing goals in the 19th, 21st and 31st minute to give Denver an early 3-0 lead.
After a sloppy corner by Denver in the 37th minute, super-senior midfielder Brookelynn Entz led a counterattack down the field, finding junior forward Kyler Goins on her left. Goins beat the last defender standing and took a shot on goal, deflecting off the goalkeeper and into the back of the Pioneer’s net.
The run, the pass, the finish@b_entz8 ➡️ @kylergoinss#KStateSOC x #RiseWithUS21 pic.twitter.com/joH5N3Lfeh
— K-State Soccer (@KStateSOC) September 3, 2021
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After the half, both teams kept up the aggression, but neither side advanced the score. Despite falling behind early, K-State head coach Mike Dibbini was pleased with the team’s effort.
“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,” Dibbini said to K-State Athletics. “I think they understood that 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.”
The Wildcats did manage to set a school record despite the loss. Before Denver’s first goal in the 19th minute, the K-State sophomore goalkeepers Alaina Werremeyer and Peyton Pearson had maintained a shutout for 317 minutes and 55 seconds for a new school record — one they might have another chance to break later in the season.
