Soccer eliminated from Big 12 Championship by Kansas, 2-1

Wednesday, November 4

Kansas City, Mo.

8 p.m.

University of Texas

8-6-4, 4-3-1

Kansas

9-8-2, 3-4-1

Kansas

Texas

Soccer eliminated from Big 12 Championship by Kansas, 2-1

11.04.2015 | Soccer

Box Score

Freshman midfielder Kayra Dollas scores her first career goal in quarterfinal loss to the Jayhawks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Despite the first goal of freshman midfielder Kayra Dollas' career at the 75:31 mark, a late Texas (8-6-4) rally came up short as Kansas (9-8-2) eliminated the Longhorns from the Big 12 Championship on a chilly Wednesday night at Swope Soccer Village, 2-1.

UT out-shot the Jayhawks in the quarterfinal match by a 15-13 total, including 7-4 on shots on goal, and held a 6-5 edge in corner kicks, but couldn't dig its way completely out of a two-goal deficit.

Redshirt freshman forward Mikayla Flores picked up her fourth assist of the season on Dollas' goal, giving the La Verne, Calif., native points in six of Texas' last seven contests.

Kansas wasted little time getting on the board, needing just 1:57 of the clock to secure a 1-0 advantage. Midfielder Tayler Estrada made a run up the left wing, moved quickly to her right and crossed inside the 18. Despite being marked at the back post, forward Ashley Williams managed an on-the-run right-footed volley past Smith for the opening tally.

The Longhorns' opening shot of the contest came on a blocked effort from junior midfielder Julia Dyche at the 3:53 mark.

Despite corners for both teams over the stretch, neither team could manage much offensively until the 26th minute when a Kansas corner dropped at the feet of Kayla Morrison. Stationed at the top of the 18, the defender's shot looked to be potentially dangerous but was blocked away successfully by the Texas defense.

The Burnt Orange & White's best chance of the opening 30 minutes came off a steal about 28 yards out by senior forward Kelsey Shimmick. The Grapevine, Texas, native turned quickly and fired a blast, but it trickled just wide of the left post.

Just seconds passed before a KU player managed to draw a foul inside the box, and the referee promptly pointed to the spot. Midfielder Liana Salazar stepped up to take the penalty kick, but ricocheted her shot off the left post. The rebound bounced straight out to the right side of the 18 and was cleared away by the Horns as the Jayhawks missed a big chance to double their lead.

During the 43rd minute, freshman forward Alexa Adams battled to earn a free kick in a dangerous spot about 38 yards out in the middle of the pitch. Dyche hammered a solid drive on frame, but the effort traveled right into the arms of Dobyns for one of her six saves on the night.

Straight out of the locker room, Texas' offense managed solid pressure with junior forward Jasmine Hart forcing a save on a shot from a tough angle on the right side just 1:56 into the half.

The Jayhawks nearly broke a player into the clear on a great feed up the middle during the 51st minute. Dyche raced back, however, to cut down the angle on the eventual shot by midfielder Grace Hagan as Smith made a routine stop.

Dollas managed some solid offensive work for the Longhorns during the 56th and 57th minutes. The Orange, Calif., product had an initial shot blocked from just outside the 18 and quickly followed that effort up by forcing a diving save on another shot from distance.

Texas was at it again at 70:43 as a quick shot from 20 yards out by freshman midfielder Katie Glenn, off a long throw-in, resulted in another Dobyns stop.

Kansas eventually doubled their lead in the 74th minute as an initial Jayhawk shot rebounded off the crossbar back out in the middle of the 18. Waiting on the doorstep to clean-up the rebound into the lower left corner of the net was midfielder Jackie Georgoulis as the advantage expanded to 2-0.

The Longhorns continued to fight, however, getting a goal back just 2:28 later to cut the UT deficit to a single tally. A ball popped up into the right side of the 18 was headed back by Flores. Dollas had time to step into a shot from 12 yards out that snuck just under the crossbar for her first collegiate goal.

Things got wild in the 83rd minute as a collision between a KU player and Smith outside the 18 resulted in a free ball inside Texas defensive territory. With UT's keeper trying to recover and get back in the play, Ashley Pankey raced over on the right side and fired on the open net from a sharp angle, but missed wide left.

The equalizer almost arrived for Texas at 83:42 as senior midfielder Lindsey Meyer forced a Dobyns save on a point-blank header near the right post. An eventual follow-up shot from distance traveled well wide right of frame and over the end line for a goal kick.

With just 59 seconds left on the regulation clock, junior defender Isabelle Kerr stepped into a shot from just inside the 18. Her effort looked to be heading into the twine, but Dobyns leaped at the last second to tip it up and over the bar.

UT managed a last ditch corner at 89:27 but couldn't get off a shot as the Jayhawks eliminated the Longhorns from the Big 12 Championship, 2-1.