LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 7-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team closes its 2017 regular-season slate at Kansas on Friday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m. EST, at Rock Chalk Park.
 
Sitting in second place in the Big 12 Conference standings, the Mountaineers (13-3-1, 6-1-1) need a win Friday night to remain in contention for their conference-best sixth straight regular-season title. A victory, coupled with a draw by No. 15 Oklahoma State at No. 8 Texas, would give WVU a share of the Big 12 crown. A Cowgirl loss would make WVU the outright champion. OSU and UT also kick at 8 p.m. EST Friday.  
 
The Mountaineers make their second trip to Lawrence in as many seasons. WVU earned a 1-0 win over the Jayhawks in 2016, as midfielder Alli Magaletta headed in the game-winner in the 38th minute on the team's eighth corner kick. WVU finished with an 18-5 edge in shots and forced KU's Maddie Dobyns into three saves. Rylee Foster made two stops for the Mountaineers.
 
WVU is 6-0 all-time against the Jayhawks, and all six victories have been shutouts. The Mountaineers have outscored KU, 15-0.
 
"Kansas is going to be a tough opponent," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "Obviously, everyone is fighting for points and placement in the Big 12 Championship. Kansas has some really big-time goal scorers.
 
"I'm going to ride our seniors. We have a great senior class with leadership. They know what is at stake, and we're going to continue with our routine knowing what we are fighting for."
 
The Mountaineers look to earn their second straight win Friday night, as they closed their regular-season home schedule at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium with a 2-0 victory over TCU on Oct. 22. Magaletta netted the game-winner, her second of the season and the fifth of her career, in the 31st minute, and senior forward Michaela Abam added the insurance goal in the 71st minute. The WVU backline held TCU to just three shots, and the Horned Frogs became the fifth team this season and second Big 12 foe to not put a shot on-frame.
 
The WVU attack enters the regular-season finale ranked No. 2 in the Big 12 in goals-per-game (1.76) and points-per-game (5.24).
 
Abam paces the Mountaineers with 15 points on a team-high six goals and three assists. Junior Sh'Nia Gordon continues to rank No. 2 on the team with 11 points (2 G, 7 A). Four Mountaineers show nine points: Magaletta (3 G, 3 A), senior forward Heather Kaleiohi (4 G, 1 A), senior defender Amandine Pierre-Louis (4 G, 1 A) and junior defender Bianca St. Georges (2 G, 5 A).
 
WVU's clean sheet against TCU was its 10th of the season and fourth in six games against Big 12 opponents. The Mountaineers' shutout percentage of 0.588 ranks No. 26 nationally, No. 3 in the Big 12. Foster, a sophomore, ranks No. 4 in the conference with a .584 goals-against average (GAA).
 
KU (8-8-2, 3-4-1) fell, 3-1, at Oklahoma State on Oct. 22. A scoreless first half was followed by a busy second half. Junior forward Grace Hagan knotted the score at 1-1 in the 54th minute, but OSU scored in the 55th minute and added a third goal in the 82nd minute. OSU outshot KU, 22-15. Dobyns, a senior, and sophomore Regan Gibbs split time in goal, with Gibbs making the team's lone save.
 
The Jayhawks are 1-2 at home this season against Big 12 foes. The team's lone victory was a big one, as KU defeated No. 9 Texas, 2-1, in a come-back effort on Oct. 13. It was KU's second top-10 win at Rock Chalk Park this season. The Jayhawks previously knocked off then-No. 7 USC, 2-1, on Sept. 3.
 
"Every team presents different issues and has different dynamic offenses," Izzo-Brown added. "I'm going to lean on our back five, with Rylee really organizing and making sure we're not giving any good space around the ball. The back four have to step up – they know what is at stake. We have to get a clean sheet."
 
Hagan paces the Jayhawks with 19 points (7 G, 5 A). Dobyns has played in all 18 matches and earned credit for the team's four shutouts. She ranks No. 8 in the Big 12 with a 1.18 GAA.