Team falters on high expectations
Women struggle early in but show true talent as season progresses
The team started the season with a skid but recovered late. Unfortunately, the women were unable to progress in the Big 12 tournament.
By Alison Cumbow (Contact)
Friday, November 16th, 2007
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Kansas finished with a 7-9-4 overall record this season and with a 5-2-3 record in conference play. In pre-season the Jayhawks were ranked No. 26 in Soccer Buzz Magazine but took awhile to find their groove on the field this fall. Nonetheless, their season ended with a sense of accomplishment.
The team returned 18 letter-winners and nine starters from last season in which they finished 11-7-1, and they gained 10 new players as well. The Jayhawks saw their fair share of ups and downs during the past few months of play but were consistently improving their game.
Looking back stat-wise
Kansas got off to a rough start this fall season, as they lost eight games, tied two and only won one of its first eleven games. The Jayhawks picked up their speed toward the middle of the season, however, and finished with six victories and two ties in their final nine games. Overall, Kansas scored 17 goals this season, and in its last eleven games, the team only let eight opposing goals in its net.
And the individual awards go to…
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Many Jayhawks received honors this season. Sophomore midfielder Monica Dolinsky and junior forward Jessica Bush earned All-Tournament honors following Kansas’ opening tournament in Hawaii when the team tied Auburn and lost to Hawaii.
Soon after, freshman forward Kaitlyn Cunningham was named the Big 12 Conference’s Freshman Newcomer of the Week after scoring her first collegiate goal against Texas Tech.
Freshman defender Katie Williams also was named Newcomer of the Week after her success against Missouri later in the season. Williams also was named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team.
Senior midfielder Emily Strinden was the recipient of the Chick-Fil-A Community of Champions Award by the Big 12 Conference and was also named to the Academic All-District 7 Second Team by ESPN the Magazine.
Senior midfielder Nicole Cauzillo was named to the Academic All-District 7 Second Team by ESPN the Magazine for the second year in a row and was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team.
Senior goalkeeper Colleen Quinn was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for three consecutive weeks in part because of back-to-back shutouts.
A coach’s accomplishment
Coach Mark Francis also earned a top award this season. Francis became the fifth soccer coach in the Big 12 to earn his 100th victory at a conference rival’s field. The accomplishment came with the Jayhawks’ victory against Texas Tech. He was the fourth-fastest coach to receive the honor.
Ending the season with not one
but two bangs
Kansas’ last home game and regulation match of the season against No. 18 Missouri seemed to solidify the end of Jayhawk losing streak. Freshman defender Katie Williams scored two goals in the second half, and senior goalkeeper Colleen Quinn made eight saves to earn the Jayhawks a 2-1 victory. The victory against Missouri was Kansas’ first against a ranked opponent since last year when the Jayhawks beat No. 12 Duke.
Big 12 victory
didn’t happen
this season
The match against the Tigers placed the Jayhawks at the No. 3 seed for the Big 12 Championships, and things were looking up for the team as it headed to San Antonio to face off against its conference foes. Last week, any goal of advancing in the tournament was lost, as Oklahoma State shut out Kansas 3-0 in the first round.
— Edited by Jeff Briscoe
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