The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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Kansas
No. 18 Soccer downs Jayhawks, 1-0
10.06.2006 | Soccer
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The 18th-ranked Texas soccer team continues to win on the road, using a goal by senior Priscille Fite to fuel a 1-0 victory over Kansas on Friday, Oct. 6 at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex in front of 564 fans.
UT moves to 9-3-1 and 3-1-1 Big 12 Conference in the eighth season under head coach Chris Petrucelli, while Kansas drops to 7-5-0, 2-2-0. Texas is 5-2 on the road this year, marking the first time since 2002 the Longhorns have picked up five road victories.
"I thought we played well and smart," said Petrcelli. "We play a little conservative. It wasn't a game where we had a lot of chances but we got the goal from Priscille (Fite) and we were able to protect it. Our guys in back did really well this time out."
Fite (Irving, Texas) put UT on the scoreboard with her first goal of the season, 51 minutes, 40 seconds into the match. Junior forward Kelsey Carpenter (Allen, Texas) passed the ball from the left side to Fite in the center of the box. The ball found the net just right of diving KU goalkeeper Julie Hanley.
"I thought we played well, especially our defense," said Fite. "(Kansas) only had one shot on goal.
"I was so happy to score because it was my first goal of the season," continued an elated Fite. "Kelsey (Carpenter) had the ball on the side and I ran into an open space. She fed me the ball and I had a touch before I shot it."
The offense for Texas started in the opening moments of the game. Three minutes into the match, UT took fire at the Kansas goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger (Sugar Land, Texas) punted to junior forward Leslie Imber (Houston, Texas), who one touched the ball five yards across the middle of the field. Imber found Carpenter in between two defenders, and Carpenter took the shot that went just left of the KU nets.
The UT offense has outscored the opposing team, 16-8 in the last seven contests. Over the course of 13 matches, Texas has found the back of the net 25 times, compared to 13 for their opponents. The Longhorns offense peaks in the second period with 15 goals in the final 45 minutes of action against eight scores in the opening period.
Pfenninger and the UT defense played well, earning the fourth shutout of the season. Pfenninger registered one save in 90 minutes of action and made an amazing grab on a free kick by the Jayhawks' Missy Gehha. A Texas foul near the box gave KU a chance for a close set piece. Gehha struck the ball hard over the UT line of defenders but directly into the hands of the second-year goalkeeper Pfenninger who kept the ball clear of the goal.
Kansas goalkeeper Julie Hanley had three saves and allowed one goal in 90 minutes of action. The Jayhawks recorded six shots with one attempt on goal.
Texas continues its road trip with a match against No. 14 Colorado on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. (Central) in Boulder, Colo.
NOTES: Carpenter recorded her 20th point of the season with the assist. UT is 7-0-1 when she registers a point (either an assist or goal)... The goal by Fite was the ninth overall of her career and second in four seasons in Big 12 play... Fite is the eighth player this season to score a goal for the Longhorns... Junior forward Caitlin Kennedy (Euless, Texas) appeared in her first game since Auburn. She sat out eleven matches due to injury.
