Section B·Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, September 8, 1997
Texas soccer teams kick Jayhawks' record back to even
Losses to Aggies Longhorns, leaves 2-2 season mark
By Harley V. Ratliff sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
After this weekend, the Kansas women's soccer team might want to consider playing all its games on the road.
The Jayhawks, coming off back-to-back road victories against Illinois State and Eastern Illinois, dropped two home games this weekend to Big 12 Conference foes Texas A&M and Texas.
Kansas lost to the Aggies on Friday 5-0 before being topped 3-2 by the Longhorns yesterday. The losses put the Jayhawks' record at 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big 12 Conference.
The Jayhawks drew a tough opponent for their '97 home opener. Texas A&M arrived at Super Target Field on Friday with a No. 6 national ranking and a dizzying blend of speed and athletic ability.
"We just didn't take care of the ball.It's like an unforced error in tennis.When you give them the ball they aren't really beating you,you're beating yourself."
It showed.
The Aggies used their superior speed to control the action early and often. Their offensive pressure paid off 12 minutes into the game, when freshman forward Nicky Thrasher beat Kansas goalkeeper Jen Fecke from the left side of the goalkeeper's box.
The Aggies added their second goal nine minutes later, when Aggie midfielder Sonya Ibanez, taking a pass from Thrasher, cut to the middle of the field and rocketed a shot into the upper left corner of the box from 18 yards out.
Texas A&M added three more goals in the second half.
"Their speed didn't surprise us. We knew they were
Dan Magner kansas soccer head coach
fast coming into the game," said Dan Magner, Kansas head coach. "They are ranked high because they have good athletes with good skills."
Magner said many of the Jayhawks' problems stemmed from their inability to neutralize the Aggies speed with good ball control.
"We just didn't take care of the ball," Magner said. "It's like an unforced error in tennis. When you give them the ball, they aren't really beating you, you're beating yourself."
The Jayhawks looked like they would reverse their fortunes early in yesterday's game against the Longhorns.
Kansas got on the board first when freshman forward Lindsey Horner picked up a loose ball off a corner kick and knocked it past the Longhorn goalkeeper. Horner's goal came at the 2:50 mark and was her first as a Jayhawk.
The lead was short-lived.
Texas answered 20 minutes later, when forward Katie Baruth got the Longhorns on the board.
The Longhorns took the lead at the 30:09 mark, when freshman Valerie Page scored the first of her two
goals and gave Texas a 2-1 lead at the half.
After falling behind 3-1, the Jayhawks looked as if they might rally.
With 15 minutes left, Horner found Kansas midfieder Cynthia Dahle open in front of the goal. Dahle took the pass and put the ball in the net.
While Kansas would threaten again late, the Jayhawks were unable to score and lost 3-2.
Dahie to play the Jayhawks needed to play a more complete game in order to compete against the better teams.
"We can't have as many mental breakdowns," she said. "We're going to have to play the entire 90 minutes like we did the last 20."
Top: Kansas sophomore Jackie Horton defends against a Texas A&M player in Kansas' 5-0 loss Friday at Super Target field. Above: Kansas freshman Ashley Gorham steals the ball from Texas forward Candace Watkins. The Jayhawks lost 3-2. Photos by Dan Elvsky/KANSAN
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