Kansas City’s women’s soccer found its stride over the weekend, nabbing back-to-back victories in the first matches of Summit League play.
The series opened with Friday’s matchup against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Kansas City started hot, and the team attempted five shots within the first five minutes. The Roos finally found home right before the 20th minute as senior midfielder Emma Wilson delivered a strike to the net. Wilson’s decisive shot gave Kansas City an early 1-0 lead.
Defensive performances dominated the rest of the 90 minutes. Sophomore goalie Mackenzie Caldwell saved five shots and helped the team shut out the Fighting Hawks to cement the 1-0 win. Caldwell added to her impressive save total for the season, ranking third in the Summit League with 54. She is also first in the League in saves per game.
The team had their second match of the weekend on Sunday against North Dakota State. The matchup mirrored Friday’s game with similar results.
The first half looked stale for both teams. In 11 total shots, only three veered inside the goal post. Caldwell continued her impressive performance and locked down the goal against each of the on-target kicks. The Roos found their rhythm after halftime and looked aggressive. Emma Wilson once again scored the game-winning goal, and the Roos staunch defense kept the Bisons scoreless for the rest of the game.
Looking at both of these matches, the team has made significant improvements on both sides of the ball. Wilson is looking great on offense. She attempted ten shots in both games, with four on goal. This performance is excellent news for Kansas City, as they have been looking for a big-time difference maker on the scoring side.
Meanwhile, the Roos’ defense looks magnificent. Holding two teams to goose eggs in back-to-back matchups is no easy feat. While there were a massive amount of fouls (19 in both games), it shows how their aggressiveness and physicality works to define the team.
At 4-8-0 overall and 2-0 within their league, Kansas City ties with South Dakota State for first place in the Summit League.
On Monday, the Summit League named Wilson and Caldwell as Players of the Week for their recent performances.
The Roos will look to add to their two-game win streak as they face an impressive South Dakota State team at home on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.
