Kansas Unable to Convert Late, Settles for 1-1 Draw with Arizona

Kansas 1, Arizona 1 (2OT)
Sun Devil Stadium // Tempe, Ariz..
Junior Jamie Fletcher led the team and tied a career
high with her six shots Friday versus Arizona
1st 2nd OT 2OT Final
Arizona 0 1 0 0 1
Kansas 1 0 0 0 1
Scoring
KU 10′ Caroline Kastor (Kallmaier)
UA 85′

Alexandra Doller (Montoya)

Goalkeepers Min GA Sv
UA Gabby Kaufman 110:00 1 7
KU Kaitlyn Stroud 110:00 1 6
Stats at a Glance UA KU
Shots 12 26
Shots on Goal 8 8
Saves 7 7
Offsides 2 1
Corner Kicks 4 9
Fouls 15 12
Yellow Cards 2 0
Red Cards 0 0

Box Score (PDF)

TEMPE, Ariz. – Senior Caroline Kastor‘s third goal of the season and junior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Stroud‘s six saves helped the Kansas Jayhawks to a 1-1 tie Friday night as part of Arizona State’s Sun Devil Classic. The Jayhawks’ tallied a season-high 26 shots to Arizona’s 12, including an 8-0 advantage in overtime, but couldn’t put in the go-ahead goal, forcing them to settle for the draw.
 
The tie pushes the Jayhawks’ unbeaten streak to four games and their overall record to 3-1-1 on the season, while the Wildcats move to 3-0-2 in their 2013 campaign.
 
“I was really happy with how we played today,” said head coach Mark Francis. “We did some really good things when we had the ball and defensively I thought we were solid. It’s disappointing to give up a goal so late in the game, especially when you outplay them for the entire match. It was a pretty sound performance from our players but just wish we could’ve gotten the result.”
 
In a game that was harshly affected by the weather, the Jayhawks were forced to deal with suppressive heat throughout the match, as well as an hour and 15 minute rain delay in the waning minutes of the first half. The 105-degree temperature at kickoff was the hottest temperature ever recorded for a Kansas soccer game.
 
The heat did not appear to affect the Jayhawks much, especially in the opening minutes of the game. After several Kansas attacks, sophomore midfielder Hanna Kallmaier found herself some space about 10 yards from the top of the UA box. The Emmerting, Germany native then played a perfect through ball to Kastor, who was streaking down the right side of the penalty box. Kastor easily corralled the pass and slid the ball in the left side of the goal to give Kansas a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute of the game.
 
The goal was the 23rd of Kastor’s career and ties the Wichita, Kan. native for third on the all-time KU goal scorers list. The assist was the first of Kallmaier’s career.
 
The Jayhawks and Wildcats played even over the next 25 minutes when lighting and heavy rain forced both teams to the lockerrooms where they had to wait out an hour and 45-minute delay. After the stoppage, Kansas ended the half strong but was unable to pad its lead before the halftime whistle.
 
Arizona came out of the halftime break with newfound confidence, getting off four shots at the KU goal within the first eight minutes of the half, however the KU defense hung tough. The Jayhawks and Wildcats continued to go back and forth for the majority of the half until Arizona again turned up the pressure late in the match.
 
In the 81st minute, Arizona’s Hannah Wong got a point-blank shot off at the KU goal, and with the Jayhawk keeper Stroud already recovering from another save, Wong saw nothing but the back of the Kansas net. However, in her first match as a Jayhawk, Aurélie Gagnet headed the shot away, notching the team save and preserving the Kansas lead.
 
The Jayhawks weren’t as fortunate five four minutes later. In the 85th minute, with the Arizona players pushing up into Kansas territory, Alexandra Doller received a long cross into the Jayhawk box from teammate Ana-Maria Montoya. Doller’s header snuck in the left side of the Jayhawk goal and knotted up the score at one with less than five minutes remaining. Both teams were unable to go ahead in regulation’s waning minutes, forcing the Jayhawks to head to their first overtime of the season.
 
Kansas dominated the extra period, controlling possession for the majority of the two 10-minute halves and outshooting the Wildcats 8-0. But Kansas just couldn’t get the ball to the back of the net.
 
In the second overtime Kansas hit the UA crossbar twice. First in the 103rd minute, junior Jamie Fletcher drew frame when her header off the Jackie Georgoulis corner kick glanced off the cross bar. Three minutes later, Kastor received the ball just 10 yard from the opposing goal, but her right-footed strike clanked off the top of the UA goal once again, keeping the score level.
 
The referee blew the final whistle just moments later, saddling the two teams with the 1-1 tie.
 
Fletcher led the team and tied her career high with six shots on the night. Kansas outshot the Wildcats 23-12, but it was level with UA in shots on goal with eight a piece. Stroud notched a season high six saves on 12 faced shots.
 
The Jayhawks will return to the pitch on Sunday, Sept. 8 to take on tournament host Arizona State. Kickoff from Sun Devil Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. (CT).
 
 
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