The Kansas soccer team weathered an anxious final stretch after Utah Valley’s Ruby Hladek scored off a late corner kick, withstanding the Wolverines’ last few attacks and claiming a 3-2 victory at Rock Chalk Park on Thursday night to remain unbeaten.
Senior forward Lexi Watts scored twice, including once 34 seconds in off a long-distance service by Livvy Moore for a tally that ranked among the quickest goals in program history, and assisted on the first career goal for Jordan Rowan.
Rowan, a freshman from Madison, Ohio, beat out a Wolverine defender and got on the end of a pass from Watts to make contact with the ball, which slowly rolled past UVU goalkeeper Leah Wolf and into the net. That goal in the 31st minute went down as the eventual winner for KU, which was later outshot 7-4 in the second half as it nursed its lead.
Hladek’s late goal put the Jayhawks on the back foot, although they almost responded when Saige Wimes tried a shot from long distance in an attempt to catch Wolf too far out of the goal. However, Wolf correctly judged Wimes’ intentions and corralled the ball to prevent KU from going back ahead by two goals.
UVU pushed its offense into threatening areas on several occasions but did not actually attempt a shot again after Hladek’s tally in the 85th minute.
Watts, who is now up to three goals in KU’s first three matches, led all players by attempting six shots in just 56 minutes of action. After Faith Webber equalized for UVU to make it 1-1 in the 22nd minute, Mia Owens committed a foul in the box less than two minutes later, and Watts put KU back in front with a penalty.
Hladek had four shots for UVU, the preseason favorite in the WAC and the reigning three-time winner of the regular-season title. The Wolverines had recently shut out Big 12 foe Utah, 2-0, on Monday.
Rowan and Wimes added three shots apiece for KU. The 23rd-ranked Jayhawks improved to 3-0 and will head out for their first road match of the season at Utah State on Sunday at 2 p.m. Central Time.
