SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Three different Jayhawks netted goals, while junior goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau had a solid performance between the posts collecting six saves to help preserve a 3-1 win for theKansas soccer team in Friday’s soccer action atMissouriState.

 

 

Sophomore Caroline Kastor, junior Whitney Berry and freshman Ingrid Vidal all scored as KU won its fourth-straight contest to improve to 4-1. The Bears fell to 2-2 overall.

 

Vidal’s three-point match gave the forward eight points in the last three contests.Berryalso recorded three points on the night and led the KU offense with four shots, all on goal.

 

“Today was not as good of a performance as last weekend but we figured out how to get the win which was good," said head coach Mark Francis. "We expended a lot of energy tonight so need to get rested and recover for Sunday.”

 

The Jayhawks had plenty of good opportunities to score as eight of their 13 shots were on goal. KU finally struck first in the 14^th minute of the game. The play began when Vidal’s pass snuck through the defense after it deflected off the foot of an MSU defender. Kastor was running onto the ball and needed only to collect it before making a low shot from 15 yards out to the right corner which flew just under the goalie’s hands. It marked Kastor’s first score of the season.

 

Kansasused that goal to take a 1-0 lead into the lockerroom at halftime.

 

Early in the second half, MissouriState’s Betheny Smith battled around two KU defenders before finding Katelyn Frederickson on the opposite side. Frederickson let a shot fly from 10 yards out that got by Liebetrau, who was charging the ball, to knot the score during the 52^nd minute.

 

Shortly thereafter KU nearly took lead in the 60^th minute. Liebetrau threw a ball up field toBerry, who took it about 30 yards down the field and made a nice pass through the defense. Fletcher ran onto the ball and went shoulder to shoulder with her defender to collect the pass, She made a hurried shot in traffic that went just wide.

 

KU’s relentless would eventually pay off as Berryscored a phenomenal goal from 30 yards out during the 66^th minute. She collected a pass from Vidal and immediately fired from way out, which caught the defense off guard as they were not expecting an attack from that far away. The ball dipped in just below the post of the upper left corner for her second goal of the season to giveKansas a 2-1 edge.

 

Vidal added an insurance goal for the Jayhawks whenBerrypassed the ball over the defense. Vidal easily got by the last defender and hit a shot on a high-bouncing ball for the score. It marked her third goal of the season, all in the last two games. She also has eight points in last three games.

 

Liebetrau provided great support in the back field making six outstanding saves on the night including on a corner during the 24^th minute of the game. AMissouriState forward headed the ball towards the goal but Liebetrau batted it and then fell on the ball at the goal line to barely prevent an MSU score.

 

The KU goalkeeper made another great play in the 74^th minute when MSU got past the last Jayhawk defender on a bad deflection. The Bears took a point-blank shot but once again Liebetrau got her hands in the line of fire to bat the ball away.

 

The Bears did score in the 80^th minute but the goal was dismissed after an offsides ruling.

 

Kansasreturns home to faceSouth DakotaStateon Sunday, Sept. 4. Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. from the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. Fans who bring a KU vs.McNeeseStatefootball ticket stub from Sept. 3 will get into the soccer game for just $3. Children can also get in for $3 if they come to the game wearing their team uniform.