Kansas State women’s soccer returns for the 2023 season with an opening 4-1 victory over Green Bay. Action started early for both young teams, attacking each third through the first few minutes of play.
Green Bay created momentum early, finding the back of the net with a high arching kick from midfielder Grace Miller in the 10th minute of play to go up 1-0. The Wildcats quickly responded to the initial attack with constant pressure on the Phoenix defense.
The Wildcats evened the score in the 18th minute of play with a corner kick from forward Kiran Singh setting up a goal for defender Jazmin Brown. K-State held momentum for the remainder of the half, keeping the ball firmly in its possession.
Entering the second half, the Wildcats capitalized on more scoring opportunities.
Defender Aliyah El-Naggar kicked a low strike in the net in the 72nd minute of play, hitting goalkeeper Payton Lang’s hands as the ball slipped through for the score, putting the Wildcats on top 2-1. The initial score sparked offensive rhythm for K-State, with another goal quickly following off of a corner kick from Brown in the 80th minute.
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In the final minute of play, the Wildcats added an insurance goal from forward Jo Sees, sending a high-arcing shot through the top center of the net to lead to the final score of 4-1.
Despite having a young roster, the Wildcats look to create momentum early, helping build confidence in its players. For a program that ranked seventh in the Big 12 in shots per game last season, the Wildcats dominated its season opener with a 27-3 shot advantage.
One outstanding performance for the Wildcats was Brown, who helped produce half of the Wildcat’s offensive scoring, ending the afternoon with two goals and two shots.
The Wildcats advance to 1-0 on the season and will face its next opponent Northwestern on Sunday, Aug. 20, at 1 p.m. in Larry and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.
