Caroline Smith is scoring goals at a faster pace than any player in the brief history of Kansas soccer.
Consequently, the Jayhawks are off to their best start in eight seasons.
Smith scored two goals and assisted on another, leading KU to a 5-1 victory against Colorado in its Big 12 Conference opener on Friday at SuperTarget Field.
Smith’s eighth and ninth goals of the season tied a KU freshman record set last year by Monica Brothers and pulled her within one of the single-season school record set last season by Hilla Rantala.
KU (7-1-1 overall, 1-0 Big 12) has 10 games remaining on its regular-season schedule.
“I’m happy for her that she’s done so well so early,” KU coach Mark Francis said of Smith, a freshman forward from Edina, Minn. “She’s gotten better every game. She’s getting more confident.”
KU’s fast start, which included a school-record, five-game road winning streak, helped attract a school-record crowd of 714 fans for the conference opener. Additional bleachers were brought in to accommodate spectators, many of whom stood along the fence on the east side of the field.
“The last six games we played on the road so you have to deal with that adversity, which was good for our team,” said Francis, whose team plays host to No. 18 Nebraska at 1 p.m. Sunday. “It’s a good character-builder when you play that many games on the road. They were excited to play at home this weekend.”
Smith put KU on the board early with an unassisted goal 5:41 into the contest, but neither team could score the rest of the half. Kansas goalkeeper Meghan Miller had several stops, including a diving save with seven seconds left in the period.
Smith gave KU a cushion early in the second half when she headed in a pass from junior Carmel Kaplinger at 55:31.
“I’m usually pretty good in the air, and I hadn’t scored a header goal this season,” Smith said. “So I thought I had one coming up and I got one today.”
Francis admitted KU was lucky to sign Smith. Though she was a prep All-American and Miss Soccer in Minnesota, Smith was overlooked by many college coaches. Her August birthday allowed her to play on an under-17 club team last year. So while many coaches were scouting senior club teams, Smith was playing with juniors.
“I told her after the game, ‘I wish I had known about you, but I didn’t,”‘ said Colorado coach Bill Hempen, whose team fell to 4-4, 0-1. “She’s big time. I told her she gets my vote for rookie of the year in the conference. She’s one of the best we’ve gone against all year, no question.”
Smith assisted Kaplinger on a 15-yard shot for a 3-0 lead in the 66th minute, and sophomore Rachel Gilfillan made it 4-0 in the 71st minute when she headed in a pass from sophomore Amy Geha.
KU, which had blanked Tulsa, Evansville and Oakland in its previous three games, lost the shutout when CU’s Ashlie Milhacin scored in a crowd from seven yards out in the 73rd minute.
“As a team we’re disappointed because it’s nice to get shutouts,” said Miller, who made six saves before giving way to Sarah Gonzalez for the final 20 minutes. “But we played really well in the second half.”
Junior defender Maggie Mason capped the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 84th minute.
“When they got their second goal that really hurt us, and the floodgates opened,” Hempen said. “When they had us down, they really went after us.”
Sunday the Jayhawks will go after Nebraska, a team they have never defeated in eight meetings.
“It’s a big game for us,” Smith said. “They’re highly ranked, and they’re a good team but I think we can beat them if we don’t make any big mistakes.”
Caroline Smith is scoring goals at a faster pace than any player in the brief history of Kansas soccer.
Consequently, the Jayhawks are off to their best start in eight seasons.
Smith scored two goals and assisted on another, leading KU to a 5-1 victory against Colorado in its Big 12 Conference opener on Friday at SuperTarget Field.
Smith’s eighth and ninth goals of the season tied a KU freshman record set last year by Monica Brothers and pulled her within one of the single-season school record set last season by Hilla Rantala.
KU (7-1-1 overall, 1-0 Big 12) has 10 games remaining on its regular-season schedule.
“I’m happy for her that she’s done so well so early,” KU coach Mark Francis said of Smith, a freshman forward from Edina, Minn. “She’s gotten better every game. She’s getting more confident.”
KU’s fast start, which included a school-record, five-game road winning streak, helped attract a school-record crowd of 714 fans for the conference opener. Additional bleachers were brought in to accommodate spectators, many of whom stood along the fence on the east side of the field.
“The last six games we played on the road so you have to deal with that adversity, which was good for our team,” said Francis, whose team plays host to No. 18 Nebraska at 1 p.m. Sunday. “It’s a good character-builder when you play that many games on the road. They were excited to play at home this weekend.”
Smith put KU on the board early with an unassisted goal 5:41 into the contest, but neither team could score the rest of the half. Kansas goalkeeper Meghan Miller had several stops, including a diving save with seven seconds left in the period.
Smith gave KU a cushion early in the second half when she headed in a pass from junior Carmel Kaplinger at 55:31.
“I’m usually pretty good in the air, and I hadn’t scored a header goal this season,” Smith said. “So I thought I had one coming up and I got one today.”
Francis admitted KU was lucky to sign Smith. Though she was a prep All-American and Miss Soccer in Minnesota, Smith was overlooked by many college coaches. Her August birthday allowed her to play on an under-17 club team last year. So while many coaches were scouting senior club teams, Smith was playing with juniors.
“I told her after the game, ‘I wish I had known about you, but I didn’t,”‘ said Colorado coach Bill Hempen, whose team fell to 4-4, 0-1. “She’s big time. I told her she gets my vote for rookie of the year in the conference. She’s one of the best we’ve gone against all year, no question.”
Smith assisted Kaplinger on a 15-yard shot for a 3-0 lead in the 66th minute, and sophomore Rachel Gilfillan made it 4-0 in the 71st minute when she headed in a pass from sophomore Amy Geha.
KU, which had blanked Tulsa, Evansville and Oakland in its previous three games, lost the shutout when CU’s Ashlie Milhacin scored in a crowd from seven yards out in the 73rd minute.
“As a team we’re disappointed because it’s nice to get shutouts,” said Miller, who made six saves before giving way to Sarah Gonzalez for the final 20 minutes. “But we played really well in the second half.”
Junior defender Maggie Mason capped the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 84th minute.
“When they got their second goal that really hurt us, and the floodgates opened,” Hempen said. “When they had us down, they really went after us.”
Sunday the Jayhawks will go after Nebraska, a team they have never defeated in eight meetings.
“It’s a big game for us,” Smith said. “They’re highly ranked, and they’re a good team but I think we can beat them if we don’t make any big mistakes.”
Caroline Smith is scoring goals at a faster pace than any player in the brief history of Kansas soccer.
Consequently, the Jayhawks are off to their best start in eight seasons.
Smith scored two goals and assisted on another, leading KU to a 5-1 victory against Colorado in its Big 12 Conference opener on Friday at SuperTarget Field.
Smith’s eighth and ninth goals of the season tied a KU freshman record set last year by Monica Brothers and pulled her within one of the single-season school record set last season by Hilla Rantala.
KU (7-1-1 overall, 1-0 Big 12) has 10 games remaining on its regular-season schedule.
“I’m happy for her that she’s done so well so early,” KU coach Mark Francis said of Smith, a freshman forward from Edina, Minn. “She’s gotten better every game. She’s getting more confident.”
KU’s fast start, which included a school-record, five-game road winning streak, helped attract a school-record crowd of 714 fans for the conference opener. Additional bleachers were brought in to accommodate spectators, many of whom stood along the fence on the east side of the field.
“The last six games we played on the road so you have to deal with that adversity, which was good for our team,” said Francis, whose team plays host to No. 18 Nebraska at 1 p.m. Sunday. “It’s a good character-builder when you play that many games on the road. They were excited to play at home this weekend.”
Smith put KU on the board early with an unassisted goal 5:41 into the contest, but neither team could score the rest of the half. Kansas goalkeeper Meghan Miller had several stops, including a diving save with seven seconds left in the period.
Smith gave KU a cushion early in the second half when she headed in a pass from junior Carmel Kaplinger at 55:31.
“I’m usually pretty good in the air, and I hadn’t scored a header goal this season,” Smith said. “So I thought I had one coming up and I got one today.”
Francis admitted KU was lucky to sign Smith. Though she was a prep All-American and Miss Soccer in Minnesota, Smith was overlooked by many college coaches. Her August birthday allowed her to play on an under-17 club team last year. So while many coaches were scouting senior club teams, Smith was playing with juniors.
“I told her after the game, ‘I wish I had known about you, but I didn’t,”‘ said Colorado coach Bill Hempen, whose team fell to 4-4, 0-1. “She’s big time. I told her she gets my vote for rookie of the year in the conference. She’s one of the best we’ve gone against all year, no question.”
Smith assisted Kaplinger on a 15-yard shot for a 3-0 lead in the 66th minute, and sophomore Rachel Gilfillan made it 4-0 in the 71st minute when she headed in a pass from sophomore Amy Geha.
KU, which had blanked Tulsa, Evansville and Oakland in its previous three games, lost the shutout when CU’s Ashlie Milhacin scored in a crowd from seven yards out in the 73rd minute.
“As a team we’re disappointed because it’s nice to get shutouts,” said Miller, who made six saves before giving way to Sarah Gonzalez for the final 20 minutes. “But we played really well in the second half.”
Junior defender Maggie Mason capped the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 84th minute.
“When they got their second goal that really hurt us, and the floodgates opened,” Hempen said. “When they had us down, they really went after us.”
Sunday the Jayhawks will go after Nebraska, a team they have never defeated in eight meetings.
“It’s a big game for us,” Smith said. “They’re highly ranked, and they’re a good team but I think we can beat them if we don’t make any big mistakes.”
Caroline Smith is scoring goals at a faster pace than any player in the brief history of Kansas soccer.
Consequently, the Jayhawks are off to their best start in eight seasons.
Smith scored two goals and assisted on another, leading KU to a 5-1 victory against Colorado in its Big 12 Conference opener on Friday at SuperTarget Field.
Smith’s eighth and ninth goals of the season tied a KU freshman record set last year by Monica Brothers and pulled her within one of the single-season school record set last season by Hilla Rantala.
KU (7-1-1 overall, 1-0 Big 12) has 10 games remaining on its regular-season schedule.
“I’m happy for her that she’s done so well so early,” KU coach Mark Francis said of Smith, a freshman forward from Edina, Minn. “She’s gotten better every game. She’s getting more confident.”
KU’s fast start, which included a school-record, five-game road winning streak, helped attract a school-record crowd of 714 fans for the conference opener. Additional bleachers were brought in to accommodate spectators, many of whom stood along the fence on the east side of the field.
“The last six games we played on the road so you have to deal with that adversity, which was good for our team,” said Francis, whose team plays host to No. 18 Nebraska at 1 p.m. Sunday. “It’s a good character-builder when you play that many games on the road. They were excited to play at home this weekend.”
Smith put KU on the board early with an unassisted goal 5:41 into the contest, but neither team could score the rest of the half. Kansas goalkeeper Meghan Miller had several stops, including a diving save with seven seconds left in the period.
Smith gave KU a cushion early in the second half when she headed in a pass from junior Carmel Kaplinger at 55:31.
“I’m usually pretty good in the air, and I hadn’t scored a header goal this season,” Smith said. “So I thought I had one coming up and I got one today.”
Francis admitted KU was lucky to sign Smith. Though she was a prep All-American and Miss Soccer in Minnesota, Smith was overlooked by many college coaches. Her August birthday allowed her to play on an under-17 club team last year. So while many coaches were scouting senior club teams, Smith was playing with juniors.
“I told her after the game, ‘I wish I had known about you, but I didn’t,”‘ said Colorado coach Bill Hempen, whose team fell to 4-4, 0-1. “She’s big time. I told her she gets my vote for rookie of the year in the conference. She’s one of the best we’ve gone against all year, no question.”
Smith assisted Kaplinger on a 15-yard shot for a 3-0 lead in the 66th minute, and sophomore Rachel Gilfillan made it 4-0 in the 71st minute when she headed in a pass from sophomore Amy Geha.
KU, which had blanked Tulsa, Evansville and Oakland in its previous three games, lost the shutout when CU’s Ashlie Milhacin scored in a crowd from seven yards out in the 73rd minute.
“As a team we’re disappointed because it’s nice to get shutouts,” said Miller, who made six saves before giving way to Sarah Gonzalez for the final 20 minutes. “But we played really well in the second half.”
Junior defender Maggie Mason capped the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 84th minute.
“When they got their second goal that really hurt us, and the floodgates opened,” Hempen said. “When they had us down, they really went after us.”
Sunday the Jayhawks will go after Nebraska, a team they have never defeated in eight meetings.
“It’s a big game for us,” Smith said. “They’re highly ranked, and they’re a good team but I think we can beat them if we don’t make any big mistakes.”