Kansas State soccer finished its two-game road trip in the Pacific Northwest with a 2-0 loss to Gonzaga on Sunday.
“We have got to be better prepared and being on our front foot a little bit quicker, and not being reactive,” head coach Mike Dibbini said in a statement from K-State Athletics.
In the first half the Wildcats were outshot by the Bulldogs 14-0, with Gonzaga burying one of those shots in the 37th minute. K-State trailed 1-0 at the break.
“The biggest thing, I think, is not to be reactive like we were in the first half to every possession,” Dibbini said. “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.”
In the second half, the Wildcats outshot the Bulldogs 5-4, but Gonzaga still netted another in the 55th minute, extending its lead 2-0.
The one bright spot for K-State on Sunday was junior goalkeeper Murphy Sheaff, who notched seven saves, keeping K-State within reach.
The Wildcats tried to gain momentum late but to no avail, falling by shutout and moving to 1-2 on the season.
“You have a plan and you have certain players that do good things in the attack. We have to adapt and adjust pretty quick” Dibbini said.
On Thursday, Aug. 22, the Wildcats began their road trip with a solid victory over Portland State 2-0. Sophomore forward Ryann Reynolds scored goals in the 43rd minute and the 46th minute, ultimately giving the Cats the boost they needed to win the game.
“It started from our defending. We defended their initial attack and then quickly countered,” Dibbini said.
A foul against Portland State led to a free kick from Reynolds that netted K-State its first goal of the game, bending one into the right corner from just outside the box.
“We needed that,” Dibbini said. “We needed to relieve some pressure. I mean, they were very physical, they tackled hard, and it was challenging for us because they weren’t allowing us to get comfortable.”
While Portland State was physical, K-State showed its own toughness, leading the foul count at 13-3 for the game.
Portland State outshot the Wildcats 16-8 and 6-4 with shots on goal, but Murphy Sheaff saved all six for K-State, posting her first shutout of the season.
Senior forward Riley Baker made her presence known, assisting Reynolds on her second goal of the day, just moments into the second period.
Reynolds, a transfer from Oregon and native of Washington, was closer to home on the road trip. Dibinni was very pleased with her and Baker’s efforts.
“It’s great for us, and shows that we’re kind of deep at certain positions, and it shows that they’re both capable of being dangerous and spinning around the goal. And we’re excited to build off of it and to continue moving forward.”
The Wildcats will look to use the road split for momentum over the next few games, starting at home at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 as they try to get back in the win column against Green Bay.