LAWRENCE, Kan. – South Dakota State fell 3-0 to Kansas in a rainy Sunday contest at Rock Chalk Park.
SDSU (0-2) put up seven shots as a team but were unable to slow a Jayhawk team that fired 24 shots in the affair.
Annie Williams and Kaitlin Zabel both had a shot on goal for the Jacks.
Maggie Smither started in net and played into the 82nd, recordied four saves. Hailee Fischer finished the game between the pipes in her collegiate debut.
“I thought our team responded to the conditions well,” SDSU head coach Brock Thompson said. “I liked our mindset and thought we fought hard. I think the biggest thing for us moving forward, is that we have to replicate the pressure we see in these matches every single day in training.”
SDSU’s offense countered KU’s attack with numerous runs deep into Jayhawk territory throughout the day, but were kept out of the scoring column as the Jayhawks survived each threat.
Down 1-0 in the 17th minute after a KU header, State aimed to strike back off a set piece of their own shortly after, but Williams’ free kick near midfield was stopped by the Jayhawks’ keeper.
KU added another score three minutes into the second half off a give-and-go inside the box, and made it 3-0 with a breakaway goal in the 76th.
State continued to push down the stretch, but saw the clock run out on any comeback hopes in the weekend finale.
Game Notes
South Dakota State is now 0-5-1 all-time against the Jayhawks, playing to a draw in the previous matchup (2016).
Winless through two games, the Jackrabbits have proven over the years it’s not how you start, but how you finish. Since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 2004, SDSU has gone 0-2 to open a season eight times but has finished with a losing record just once, earning a trip to the NCAA College Cup in two of those seasons.
Up Next
The Jackrabbits are set to play host to Wayne State on Friday evening in their home opener at Fishback Soccer Park at 6 p.m.
SDSU will close the weekend against Drake on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the second annual Hometown Heroes Day, where Brookings area first responders will receive free admission.
Photo from www.gojacks.com.
