Kansas needed something to kick-start its season.

When No. 6 Texas A&M’s boisterous, towel-twirling bench inspired their crimson and blue counterparts to reply in like fashion, coach Mark Francis’ team got the boost it desperately needed in its quest for the postseason.

“A&M always has a pretty rowdy bench,” junior forward Shannon McCabe said. “They had a cheer that said ‘we’re going beat the hell out of Kansas.’ Things like that. Our bench out-yelling them kind of settled them down and it got us excited on the field.”

The end result was one of the biggest victories in the program’s 13-year history.

With the home bench stoking the fire, Kansas (10-5-1, 3-3-1) rode a magnificent McCabe first-half goal to a record-setting 1-0 victory over Texas A&M Friday afternoon at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. The sixth-ranked Aggies represent the highest-ranked opponent any Jayhawk soccer squad has ever defeated.

McCabe scored the game’s only goal in the 29th minute when junior midfielder Monica Dolinsky fought off an Aggie defender to slide her streaking teammate in on goal.

“It was a battle, and I barely got it off,” Dolinksy said. “I heard her yell my name, and I found her.”

Once McCabe latched onto Dolinsky’s pass, she took a touch towards the endline and unleashed a seeing-eye drive from a tight angle that nestled itself just inside the top corner of the back post for her third goal of the season.

“When I hit it, time went into slow motion,” McCabe said.

As sensational as the goal was, there was some disagreement on whether McCabe intended to cross the ball or take a crack on frame.

“I actually thought it was a cross,” junior defender Estelle Johnson said. “I’ll let you talk to her about that.”

“It looked like a cross,” Francis said. “But we’ll take it.”

McCabe wasn’t so forthcoming. When asked to reveal her true intentions, she just smiled.

“I don’t really think it matters,” she said. “At the end of the day it went into the net. I think that should be what counts.”

Even more amazingly, the goal was only the second Texas A&M has allowed in seven Big 12 games. The Aggies’ (12-3-1, 5-2-1) only previous loss went to No. 2 North Carolina in College Station more than a month and a half ago. Texas A&M lost to Missouri at home on Sunday.

The victory is the first in a string of five games that will decide whether or not Kansas breaks its three-year NCAA tournament drought. Beating a Top-10 team certainly boosts the Jayhawks’ postseason chances with four crucial games remaining.

“We were kind of at a turning point in our season where this was a must-win game if we wanted to get in the tournament,” McCabe said. “This is my third year here, and we haven’t made the tournament.”

Kansas was 8-3 before a rough 0-2-1 stretch against Colorado, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma over the last two weeks. But unlike those games, the Jayhawks defended for all 90 minutes against the Aggies and got the right bounces when it they needed them most.

“It was really intense,” Johnson said of a game in which four yellow cards were handed out, all in the second half. “I think the only thing that can compare is the Oklahoma State game. They were coming constantly at us the last five minutes or so.”

The Aggies began the game on the front foot as well, looking the more determined of the two sides during the opening 10 minutes. But behind their bench’s encouragement, Kansas retook control through McCabe’s strike while limiting Texas A&M to two shots on goal and one corner in the first half.

Five minutes before halftime freshman midfielder Beth West had the Aggies’ best opportunity of the game, thumping Hanley’s left post with a curling right-footed shot.

At halftime the Jayhawks shifted formations to better handle the Aggies’ dangerous wide play, removing freshman forward Emily Cressy for sophomore midfielder Sarah Salazar.

Kansas nearly doubled its lead three minutes into the second half when freshman forward Kortney Clifton found McCabe with space in the penalty area. The Tulsa, Okla., native evaded her marker and crashed a shot off the near post to narrowly miss out on her second goal.

West had another opportunity to pull Texas A&M back into the game in the 71st minute, but her header was just wide off a corner kick.

The Aggies outshot the Jayhawks 17-9, but the home side led 4-3 in shots on goal. Francis said the victory ranks high on his list at Kansas.

“I was really proud of the kids and how hard they fought today,” he said. “There really wasn’t a time in the game where I felt like we lapsed.”

Following the victory, players and coaches celebrated together before heading to “Late Night in the Phog” next door at Allen Fieldhouse.

KANSAS DEMOLISHES FRANCIS MARION

Junior forward Shannon McCabe scored a hat trick and four others added a goal apiece as Kansas dominated Francis Marion 7-0 at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex Sunday afternoon.

Kansas set a school record with seven goals, and McCabe’s tied the all-time record for points in a game with seven. Junior midfielder Monica Dolinsky also had a goal and two assists for Kansas. The Jayhawks outshot their opponent 34-4 with 17 of those shots coming on goal.

Coach Mark Francis’ team led 2-0 at halftime, but five goals in the opening 20 minutes of the second half sealed the record-breaking victory. Sophomore midfielder Erin Ellefson scored her first career goal on a driven shot from 20 yards for Kansas’ final goal.

— — Edited by Rachel Burchfield