By K-State Athletics
SPOKANE, Wash. (KStateSports.com) – K-State looked to close its first road trip of the 2024 season on a high note on Sunday at Luger Field, but Gonzaga held back the Wildcats with a 2-0 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
– Gonzaga (1-1-1) drew first blood scoring in the 37th minute. Alexis Parker was played into the K-State 18-yard box and calmly finished into the lower right corner from seven yards.
– The Bulldogs owned the opening half, as K-State (1-2-0) was outshot, 14-0.
– In the 55th minute, Gonzaga registered a goal off a corner as Chelsea Le finished with her left foot from 16 yards.
– Gonzaga concluded the afternoon with a 19-5 advantage in total shots and a 9-1 edge in shots on goal. The Bulldogs recorded a 10-2 lead in corner kicks.
– K-State junior goalkeeper Murphy Sheaff pocketed seven saves.
QUICK FACTS
– Gonzaga leads the series between the teams, 2-0-0.
– The Wildcats are 0-3-1 all-time in matches against West Coast Conference members.
– The Wildcats are 13-12-6 in matches played in the month of August.
PLAYER NOTES
– Sheaff tallied five or more saves in a match for the second time this season and the 10th time during her time at K-State.
– With her seven saves on Sunday, Sheaff improved her total as a Wildcat to 99.
– Senior Kenzi Gillispie recorded 90 minutes, improving her career total to 4,906. Sunday marked her 58th career match played, which is tied for 10th in school history. Gillispie made her 57th career start, which ranks her third in school history for career starts.
– Senior midfielder Adah Anderson played in her 58th career match, which is tied for 10th in school history.
– Junior defender Jazmin Brown played all 90 minutes for the Wildcats. With the effort, Brown surpassed the 3,500-mark for career minutes played at K-State (3,573).
FROM THE HEAD COACH
K-State Head Coach Mike Dibbini
On what K-State can take away from this match and use later in the season…
“The biggest thing, I think, is not to be reactive like we were in the first half to every possession. Every action, we were a step behind and we looked like we were chasing a little bit more in the first half than we were in the second half. We adjusted and it looked like we had a lot more opportunities, if you look at the numbers count, it’s pretty even in the second half, minus the goal count. But as far as shots, offensive possession and time on possession, just the things that we were talking about in scout, from the beginning, it looked like they were more focused on using the knowledge and the preparation and scout in the second half, and they weren’t as reactive. So overall, we have got to be better prepared and being on our front foot a little bit quicker, and not being reactive. And I think the game could be different.”
On how to unlock the offensive attack…
“You have a plan and you have certain players that do good things in the attack. We have to adapt and adjust pretty quick here, when you lose some of these players, key players that help unlock those solutions for us but we have some really good players that are stepping up and figuring out ways to to get the minutes and get themselves into that rhythm of the game a lot sooner and a lot quicker.”
On Murphy Sheaff’s performance in frame in the first two weeks…
“It’s been up and down, as far as, as the team, and she’s just keeping them motivated in terms of, ‘hey, it’s a long season and it’s so early. We got to work on these things.’ She is being a veteran leader, making sure that we hold each other accountable and understand that it’s a long season.”
UP NEXT
K-State begins a two-game home stand on Thursday, August 29, as the Wildcats host Green Bay at 5 p.m. For tickets, visit kstatesports.com/tickets or call (800) 221-CATS.
