By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
“We got to go on the road and get some results,” head coach Michelle Lenard said after Baylor’s loss to Texas Tech on Friday.
And results they got.
Baylor picked up its first Big 12 win of the season Thursday in a 3-0 statement victory over No. 14 Kansas at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kan. The game marked the team’s second ranked win of the year.
Coming off their first loss of the season, the Bears (6-1-2, 1-1 Big 12) showed they weren’t going to stay down for long. Hungry to bounce back after Friday’s 1-0 setback to Texas Tech, Baylor stayed aggressive in Lawrence, breaking through for its first Big 12 goal of the year — and the two that followed in stride.
The Bears made it count, netting 3 goals on 6 shots to hand No. 14 Kansas (7-1-1, 0-1 Big 12) its first loss of the season. Behind a resilient defensive performance and dynamic finishing, Baylor secured a statement road win to build momentum in Big 12 play.
It was a defensive battle out of the gate, as Kansas controlled much of the early tempo, testing senior goalkeeper Azul Alvarez eight times in the first half while settling comfortably inside Baylor’s penalty box.
Graduate defender Blythe Obar anchored the back line with a strong start, cutting off passing lanes to keep the Jayhawks from breaking through — a defensive effort that carried the Bears through all 90 minutes.
With possession tilting Kansas’ way for most of the first half, junior midfielder Aryanna Jimison wasted no time off the bench, breaking through for the Bears in the 34th minute. She ripped their third shot of the night from outside the 18-yard box, a strike that soared into the back left corner off a throw-in from junior midfielder Natalie Vatter to put Baylor up 1-0 heading into the locker room.
It was pedal to the metal for both teams after the break, as Kansas midfielder Livvy Moore found a gap in Baylor’s back line for a shot that grazed the crossbar to open the second half — a shot that would become the Jayhawks’ only real chance for the rest of the game. With momentum on their side, Baylor’s aggression showed no signs of letting up.
In the 56th minute, junior forward Callie Conrad pounced on a loose ball and buried it into an open net to double Baylor’s lead. Junior midfielder Theresa McCullough hounded the back line, forcing the Kansas goalkeeper off her line, and chased down the rebound before sending in a cross that Conrad finished for a 2-0 advantage.
Only six minutes after her hustle play helped put the Bears ahead, McCullough earned a goal of her own. Off an assist from Conrad, she finished another effort to stretch the lead to 3-0, putting the Jayhawks in a position they hadn’t faced all season.
“We’ve been waiting for it to come,” Conrad said. “I told [McCullough] if I assist you, we’ll celebrate, so it worked out perfectly. That’s what we want to do is create chances for each other, so that’s what we did.”
Possession stayed with Baylor as the clock wound down, leaving Kansas in unfamiliar territory and the Bears brimming with confidence. Alvarez, who worked overtime in the first half, wasn’t called upon once in the final 45 minutes.
While the defense shone for the Bears, it was an all-around effort that carried them to victory. Baylor stayed connected from back to front — the back line stood tall, the midfield dictated the tempo and the forwards consistently linked up in space. For Kansas, it was an uphill climb they could never overcome, as the Bears powered to a 3-0 win at Rock Chalk Park.
“Every game in conference is super valuable, so looking to the next game and not dwelling on the past, looking to the next game [and] adjusting what needs to be adjusted, focusing on the next one, now looking past this one onto K-state,” Conrad said.
Baylor will continue its tour around the Sunflower State on Sunday with a match against Kansas State (5-1-2, 0-0-1 Big 12). Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Buser Family Park in Manhattan, Kan.
