MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –
The West Virginia University women's soccer team earned a 2-0 win over Kansas State to open its Big 12 Conference home slate inside Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown on Thursday night.
Fifth-year senior
AJ Rodriguez earned her second straight game-winning goal when she put the Mountaineers (6-2-1, 2-0 Big 12) on the board in the 41st minute. The game winner was Rodriguez's third of her career, while it also was her third goal this season. Senior midfielder Lisa
Schöppl gave WVU an insurance tally in the 77th minute, lifting the squad to the 2-0 victory with her first career goal.
The Mountaineers saw several chances go by in the first half, with a few great looks either being saved or going just off frame. However, Rodriguez helped WVU take a lead into the locker room when she found the back of the net on a rebound off the KSU keeper. She snuck the ball into the top of the net to get West Virginia on the board.
Out of the half, WVU continued to dominate possession, firing a trio of shots before
Schöppl added a goal on a great header off a free kick. Senior forward/midfielder
Chloe Adler took a free kick just over midfield near the touch line, sending the ball right into the center of the box. It found the head of
Schöppl, who flicked it on frame for the score.
West Virginia dominated the final box score, outshooting K-State, 17-2, including 8-1 in shots on goal. The Mountaineers also took eight corner kicks in the match, compared to just two for the Wildcats. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper and the Mountaineer defense earned their fifth shutout of the season Thursday night.
With the win, WVU remains unbeaten all-time against Kansas State, improving to 7-0-1 in the series.
The Mountaineers return to Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 22, to cap the weekend against Kansas. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. It's Superhero Sunday, and a special themed poster will be given out to fans.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on
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