By Collin Bryant | Sports Writer
Baylor soccer (10-3-2, 3-2-1) secured two 1-0 victories in the state of Kansas over the weekend.
The Bears maintained possession and kept the Kansas State Wildcats (7-7-1, 1-5-0) at bay Friday night, shutting them out along with the Kansas Jayhawks (7-7-2, 2-3-1) on Sunday.
Baylor led Kansas State in all major offensive categories including outshooting the Wildcats 25-6, 6-4 shots on goal and 6-5 in corner kicks.
The Bears took the first half lead, scoring in the 31st minute. Junior forward Ariel Leach served in an assist for junior midfielder Julie James who scored the game-winner.
After only taking one shot in the first half, the Wildcats has a chance to take the lead when Kansas State was awarded a penalty kick on a Baylor hand ball in the box in the 83rd minute. Bears freshman goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt made a diving stop to her right to get the save. Wandt collected her seventh shutout of the season.
Baylor head coach Paul Jobson said that people need to remember how young Wandt is and the positive impact she has made this season.
“You’ve got to remember that kid is a freshman. That’s a big play for a young kid to make. She’s been solid in the goal for us all year and that’s just another big time play for her,” Jobson said.
The Bears continued to control the offensive pace Sunday against the Kansas Jayhawks. Baylor held an 8-4 advantage in shots in the first half. In the second half, the Jayhawks matched the Bears in shot attempts with seven.
Baylor scored late in the second, led by a push into the penalty box. Sophomore forward Raegan Padgett assisted to senior midfielder Aline De Lima, who stood tall through a collision with Jayhawk senior goalkeeper Maddie Dobyns to score the game winner.
Wandt finished with another clean sheet on the season, with the Baylor defense keeping the Jayhawks from getting a single shot on goal the entire match.
Jobson said that it’s really difficult to get road victories, but that the team’s maturity help lead them to the wins.
“People need to realize that it’s extremely difficult to go on the road and get two wins. It’s almost unheard of to go on the road and get six points. We were able to go on the road and do something that we haven’t done in a while either,” Jobson said. “It just goes to show the maturity and resolve of this team. It wasn’t pretty, most Sundays usually aren’t. But they were able to fight through that and get another victory.”
The Bears will close their home regular season against No. 9 Texas (11-1-2) at 7 p.m. Friday at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field. Baylor is 0-1 against teams ranked in the Top 25, falling 2-1 in overtime to then No. 5 West Virginia on Sept. 22.
Baylor will then take on TCU at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 in Fort Worth to wrap up conference play.
