Soccer Drops Big 12 Opener 5-1

Friday, September 27

Lawrence, Kan.

TBA

Colorado

4-4-0, 0-1-0Big 12

Kansas

7-1-1, 1-0-0Big 12

Colorado

Kansas

September 27, 2002 | Soccer

Box Score

By: CUBuffs.com

LAWRENCE, Kan. - An Ashlie Mihalcin goal in the 73rd minute couldn't erase the margin made off five Kansas goals as Colorado fell on the short end of a 5-1 score in the Big 12 opener for both teams at Super Target field here Friday.

The loss was Colorado's worst of the season and the four-goal deficit was the most since Kansas blanked the Buffs 4-0 a year ago in Boulder. It was also the Buffs' fourth straight Big 12 opening loss and puts the Buffs back at .500 for the season at 4-4 overall, 0-1 in Big 12 play while Kansas improves to 7-1-1/1-0.

"I didn't think we were as bad as I saw today. We haven't given up goals like that all year," said head coach Bill Hempen. "I didn't think that we were out of the game in the first half, but when they scored their second goal the floodgates opened and we didn't have an answer for that."

Both teams had opportunities for a 1-1 score in the first five minutes of the game when CU's Lindsey Galas' shot just wide of the right post was blocked and Nicholle Taylor picked up the rebound for a shot just feet outside the goal that went high in the second minute. In the fifth minute Kansas' Jessica Smith took a hard shot just off the left post that fell into Colorado keeper Jeanne Rankin's torso.

A minute later Kansas converted its second shot of the game when Caroline Smith was served a chipped ball, created her own opportunity and netted the quickest goal against CU (in the sixth minute) this season.

With six seconds left in the half, Colorado's Fran Munnelly had an opportunity to tie the game when she took a shot from the left side of the box to the right post, forcing Kansas netminder Meghan Miller to dive left where she just got a fingertip on the ball to deflect it from the right post.

Smith would repeat her first-half effort when she was served the ball from Carmel Kaplinger from the left side of the goal box and Smith headed the ball over Rankin's left shoulder into the right side of the net in the 55th minute of play. The Jayhawks built a 3-0 cushion in the 66th minute when Kaplinger and Smith combined for a second straight goal with the credit reversed. Smith assisted on a Kaplinger shot from 15 yards out that found the inside of the net just under the crossbar.

"I told her (Caroline Smith) that I wish I would have known about you sooner, because I didn't. She gets my vote for Big 12 Freshman of the Year. She's the best we've seen all year," complimented Hempen.

When the Jayhawks made it a 4-0 blanking on a Rachel Gilfillan, head coach Bill Hempen made a goalie change, substituting senior Sara Erskine for Rankin. Rankin would leave the game with a career-high nine saves and four goals allowed.

Colorado then prevented the shutout when freshman Ashlie Mihalcin netted her first goal of the season in the 73rd minute off a Fran Munnelly direct kick. Kansas would answer back in the 84th minute and put an exclamation point on the match on Maggie Mason's score off the left post extended.

The Buffs continue their Big 12 opening weekend on Sunday when they play at Missouri in a 12 p.m. (MST) kickoff. The Tigers host Nebraska tonight.