KU soccer endures ‘missed opportunity’ in draw with No. 24 West Virginia

By Joseph Myers, Special to the Journal-World Oct 16, 2025

Kansas forward Becca Smith connects with the cross to score a goal against West Virginia on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 at Rock Chalk Park.

The Kansas women’s soccer team battled No. 24 West Virginia to a 2-2 tie in a Big 12 Conference match Thursday night at Rock Chalk Park, but Kansas head coach Nate Lie was definitely hoping for three points from a win rather than one from a draw.

“I view (the match) as a missed opportunity,” said Lie, whose team outshot West Virginia, 13-7, in the match. “We came into tonight thinking we were going to win and we had chances to win this match. We’ve had three ranked teams come in here to Rock Chalk Park, and we had chances to win all three matches, and we didn’t. We have to learn how to win these types of matches.”

West Virginia (9-2-3, 4-0-3) got on the board first at 12 minutes and 59 seconds, when Taylor White sent a cross into the penalty area and the ball went off a Kansas defender into the net for an own goal, giving the Mountaineers a 1-0 advantage.

Kansas (9-3-3, 3-3-1) had several direct kicks and corner kicks, but was unable to take advantage of them until 28:33, when the Jayhawks earned back-to-back corner kicks to keep the offensive pressure on West Virginia. Caroline Castans put the second into the penalty area, where it was headed down by Olivia Page and Jordan Rowan got her foot on the

ball and sent it into the net for her fourth goal of the year to tie the match at 1.

“West Virginia is one of the toughest teams in our conference and one of the best in the country,” Lie said. “We did a good job of scouting them and I think they scouted us well, but I thought we came out flat. But we showed our resiliency to get ourselves back into the match.”

Kansas took a 2-1 lead about eight minutes later, when Lydia Viets made a cross that found the feet of Becca Smith, who scored her third goal of the season to give the Jayhawks the advantage. However, that lead was short-lived, as the Mountaineers’ Alexis Re got a pass in the offensive zone, turned, and put a shot in the top right corner of the net from long range to tie the match, 2-2, at 39:19.

“I thought we really had control late in the first half, but giving up (the second goal) hurt,” Lie said.

The Jayhawks had a chance to take back the lead right before halftime, earning a direct kick and then a corner kick, but Kansas was unable to capitalize and the match went into the break tied 2-2. Kansas outshot West Virginia, 7-2, in the opening 45 minutes, including 4-1 in shots on goal. The Jayhawks had all six corner kicks and nine fouls were called, five on Kansas and four on West Virginia.

In the second half, Kansas continued to exert more offensive pressure than West Virginia, earning corner kicks in the 56th, 61st, and 66th minutes, but the Jayhawks were unable to find the back of the net. Re had a shot to give West Virginia the lead in the 76th minute, but Kansas keeper Sophie Dawe dove to her left to stop Re’s shot and keep the match tied, 2-2.

Kansas had three more corner kicks in the last 10 minutes, but was unable to convert, forcing the Jayhawks to settle for the tie.

“We had chances in the second half, but we weren’t able to do anything with our corners,” said Lie. “I would’ve liked to have done more with them and I thought we’d score another goal on one, but we didn’t.”

Along with outshooting West Virginia for the match, the Jayhawks had five shots on goal to two for the Mountaineers. Kansas had 11 corner kicks to just one for West Virginia and the fouls were split evenly, 8-8.

Saige Wimes and Jillian Gregorski had two shots (one on goal) each for Kansas, with Page and Kate Langfelder also finishing with two shots for the Jayhawks. Dawe made one save to pick up the tie in goal for Kansas.

Kansas is back in action Sunday afternoon, when the Jayhawks host Cincinnati (3-6-6, 1-4-2) in another Big 12 matchup. The Bearcats were also in action Thursday, losing 2-0 at Kansas State. Kickoff for Sunday’s match at Rock Chalk Park is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Kansas defender Caroline Castans dribbles forward against West Virginia on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 at Rock Chalk Park.

Kansas forward Becca Smith is jubilant after connecting with the cross to score a goal against West Virginia on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 at Rock Chalk Park.

Kansas forward Becca Smith is jubilant after connecting with the cross to score a goal against West Virginia on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 at Rock Chalk Park.