Vs. Seattle University
Packing their bags for a season opener at a neutral site for the first time in program history, the Wildcats opened their 11th campaign with an offensive clinic. K-State defeated Seattle U 4-0 on Aug. 13 at UH Lower Campus Field, a performance which tied a school record set in 2023 for the most goals in a season opener.
The Wildcats wasted no time making their presence felt in the Pacific. In the 12th minute, senior midfielder McKinnan Braswell threw her body on the line to connect with a diving header off a pinpoint cross from junior forward Rilyn Rintoul. The strike marked Braswell’s second goal in a K-State uniform and stood as the first game-winner of her career.
“We were so excited to get the go-ahead goal early and start the game on the front foot,” head coach Colleen Corbin said. “It’s something we have been focused on and addressing as a team, so that was really fun and encouraging.”
Seattle attempted to respond quickly, but junior goalkeeper Maddie Sibbing stood tall, turning away two Redhawk attempts in seven minutes to keep the Wildcats ahead.
That defensive stand set the stage for Rintoul to double the damage in the 23rd minute. After Seattle’s goalkeeper parried her initial low shot, Rintoul pounced on the loose ball and slotted home the rebound. Dating back to last year’s finale against Iowa State, Rintoul has now posted back-to-back performances with both a goal and an assist, elevating her to a tie for ninth on K-State’s all-time scoring list with five career goals.
The 2-0 cushion sent K-State into halftime with its first multi-goal lead at the break since September 2025.
When the Redhawks threatened to build momentum out of the locker room, K-State’s fresh faces slammed the door shut. In the 66th minute, freshman defender Lauren Moylan capped her first collegiate start by cutting onto her left foot and curling a shot into the top-right corner. Seven minutes later, fellow freshman Kennedy Miller crashed the box to redirect a rebound into the net, sealing the 4-0 rout with her first career collegiate goal.
“The third goal was incredibly valuable,” Corbin said. “Seattle had started to generate some momentum coming out of halftime, and the team was able to respond in a really positive way … I am so happy for both Lauren and Kennedy. They showed up to preseason fit, strong and ready to compete.”
K-State controlled every angle of the pitch, finishing with a 14-9 margin in total shots and an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Sibbing commanded the box across 82 clean minutes before turning over the net to sophomore Grace Pilling, who made her collegiate debut to finalize the combined shutout.
“Maddie [Sibbing] was awesome,” Corbin said. “Her decision-making, coming out and cleaning up behind the back line today was huge for us. She’s able to bring a sense of calm and confidence when things start to feel sketchy.”
Vs. University of Hawaii
Not even a tropical storm warning or an early goal against could slow down Kansas State women’s soccer in its island finale.
After Hurricane Lala pushed the match back 24 hours, the Wildcats weathered harsh conditions and an early deficit to pour on three unanswered goals, securing a 3-1 victory over host Hawaii on Saturday at the Outrigger Soccer Kickoff.
The win capped a spotless 2-0-0 opening weekend for K-State, marking just the third time in the program’s 11-year history that the team opened a campaign with back-to-back victories. The Wildcats’ seven total goals across their two matches in Honolulu set a school record for the most prolific scoring start to a season.
However, things did not start smoothly for K-State. The Rainbow Wahine seized early control in the fourth minute when Anuhea Aluli tucked a feed from Jas Cayetano into the bottom right corner. Hawaii pressed hard out of the gate, firing five shots in the opening 21 minutes.
Despite the onslaught, the Wildcats’ defense quickly adjusted, holding Hawaii to just two shot attempts over the final 69 minutes of the match.
K-State found its spark in the 28th minute. Sophomore forward Gabby DeMers gathered a pass from sophomore defender Chloe Dillbeck and ripped a 12-yard strike into the top left corner to draw the Wildcats level at 1-1.
“Gabby’s goal was critical to getting us back into the game and shifting the energy in our favor,” Corbin said. “She had a spark today and definitely caused their back line some real problems.”
Midgame tactical shifts by Corbin’s staff completely flipped the field after the break, as K-State needed just 82 seconds in the second half to grab the lead. Braswell set up classmate Anna Pagano, who netted her first career goal with a 14-yard strike in the 47th minute. The tally proved to be the game-winner, while Braswell’s assist moved her into a tie for sixth in program history with five.
Junior forward Allison Marshall put the match out of reach in the 53rd minute. Collecting a throw-in, Marshall turned past a defender and launched a 24-yard missile into the bottom right corner to make it 3-1. It was Marshall’s seventh career goal, moving her into a tie for fourth place on K-State’s all-time scoring list.
“It was an incredible individual effort [by Allison Marshall] to receive the ball off a throw-in, turn inside and get her shot off,” Corbin said. “So excited for her and what’s to come.”
The Wildcats controlled every statistical facet down the stretch, finishing with a 16-7 advantage in total shots (6-3 in shots on goal) and a dominant 9-0 margin in corner kicks.
Junior goalkeeper Sibbing posted two saves to earn her ninth career win in net, putting her just three victories shy of breaking Alaina Werremeyer’s program record of 11. Meanwhile, senior defender Reece Walrod went the full 90 minutes in her 43rd consecutive start, bringing her career total to 3,963 minutes — ninth among field players in school history.
K-State returns home to Manhattan on Thursday, Aug. 20, to host Missouri State in its home opener at 5 p.m. at Buser Family Park.
