LAWRENCE, Kan. ? Ashley Williams pounded home a rebound of a blocked shot in the 97th minute to give the University of Kansas a 2-1 overtime win over the visiting UCSB women’s soccer team on Friday evening.
Williams scored after Haley Yearout’s first shot was stopped by a diving Gaucho goalkeeper Makenna Henry at the left post. Henry, however, couldn’t control the save and the ball rolled to her left, where Williams was waiting and the Jayhawk put it home at the 96:34 mark.
After a scoreless first half, Kansas got on the board first in the 52nd minute when Jamie Fletcher hit a perfect through-ball that was blasted home by Caroline Kastor.
The score remained 1-0 until 64:00 mark when the Gauchos tied things up. Taylor Gehring took a free kick from about 35 yards out and directed it towards the right post. Sophomore Miranda Cornejo rose above a crowd to head the ball past Jayhawk goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau.
The overtime goal was one of the few balls that Henry couldn’t get to. The junior had eight saves on 10 Jayhawk shots on goal. The Gauchos had just one shot on goal and that was Cornejo’s header. Overall, Kansas outshot UCSB 19-6 and had 5-2 advantage on corner kicks.
Santa Barbara will remain in the Midwest to play at the University of Missouri on Sunday in a match that will kick-off at 11 a.m. (PDT). The Gauchos will return home for their first home match on Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m.
