Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women's soccer team battled back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Kansas at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown on Friday night.
After the two teams were scoreless in the first half, the visiting Jayhawks took a 2-0 lead after scoring a pair of goals within a minute of one another. However, the Mountaineers (4-3-5, 1-0-2 Big 12) didn't let the KU spark get the best of them, as they fought back with two goals of their own in order to equalize by the 75th-minute mark. Junior midfielder
AJ Rodriguez brought West Virginia within one in the 62nd minute, before senior midfielder
Maya McCutcheon notched her second equalizer of the year at 74:15.
Following Kansas' back-to-back goals to take the lead in the 59th and 60th minutes, WVU was determined to find the response, and it didn't take long. The offense took control of the possession and earned a pair of corner kicks. On the second corner, sophomore defender
Annika Leslie sent the ball into the box, where it found Rodriguez. Her first shot was deflected by a KU defender, but McCutcheon was able to get a toe on it to send a shot. Even though McCutcheon's ball was saved by the defense, Rodriguez caught the rebound and sent a header past the goalie and into the net to claw within one.
The Mountaineers' second tally also came off a corner kick, this time with sophomore
Dilary Heredia-Beltran earning her third assist across the last two games. The Wichita, Kansas, native's corner kick found McCutcheon waiting inside the box, as all it took was a swift header to equalize. From there, both teams became desperate for a game winner, but the match ended in a draw.
The final box score showed West Virginia taking 18 shots and placing 11 shots on goal, while the Jayhawks took 12 shots and placed four on goal. The Mountaineers also held an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks. Rodriguez paced the offense with four shots, while McCutcheon placed all three of her attempted shots on frame.
A native of Austin, Texas, Rodriguez scored her fourth career goal and second of the season Friday night, as McCutcheon also tallied her second of the year. The goal was the Murphy, Texas, native's sixth of her career.
Additionally, senior goalie
Kayza Massey made a pair of saves, and KU keeper Melania Pasar was called on to save nine WVU shots.
With the draw, West Virginia's all-time series advantage over KU moves to 8-3-2, including 3-1-1 in games played in Morgantown.
The Mountaineers return to the road next week as they travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to battle No. 9 TCU on Thursday, Oct. 6. The match is slated for 8 p.m. ET, at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.
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