KU women’s soccer team ties national power Florida State: ‘I think we can play’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas held No. 2 Florida State to 1-1 draw, extending unbeaten 2025 start.
- Jayhawks outshot Seminoles 14-8, with additional opportunities to score.
- Coach Lie praised unity and crowd impact as key factors in promising result.
Kansas’ undefeated-yet-unranked women’s soccer team didn’t claim what could have been called the biggest regular-season victory in school history on Thursday night at Rock Chalk Park.
Second-year coach Nate Lie’s Jayhawks (3-0-2) accomplished the next best result, however, in playing No. 2-ranked Florida State (2-0-1) to a 1-1 draw before 2,108 enthusiastic fans who made up the third-largest crowd in KU home soccer history.
“I don’t think too many people nationally were taking it seriously,” Lie said of Thursday’s nonconference clash. FSU, the 2023 national champs, entered with a record of 27-0-3 in their last 30 nonconference games.
“I mean, we heard some people nationally talk about this game, and they kind of laughed it off and probably said it’s going to be a tough night for the Jayhawks. But we believe, and that’s the most important thing,” Lie added, stressing that KU had played well so far this season in a tie against Utah State and wins over Missouri State, Utah Valley and South Dakota State.
The Jayhawks out-shot FSU 14-8. Each team’s goalkeeper had three saves. Both teams had five corner kicks.
“I think we can play,” Lie said, admitting he felt “exhausted” as a coach following the thriller.
“I have always believed that this team can play with anyone if we’re willing to put forth that kind of effort and performance. I think maybe we proved it to ourselves. I think maybe those people, the players on the field, in the locker room, might have needed this as a bit of validation. We’re one year removed from not making the Big 12 tournament (in 2023, then winning the tourney in 2024). And, you know, we see it as coaches, and we try to instill that belief, as do the leaders. But sometimes you need nights like this to really see it out,” Lie added.
The two teams played to a 1-1 first-half tie.
KU’s Mary Sola, a 5-foot-3 freshman from Homer Glen, Illinois, directed the ball off her head into the upper right corner of the net at the 25:37 mark. That score followed a goal by Florida State’s Jordynn Dudley 12 minutes, 46 seconds into the match.
Dudley, a second-team All-American a year ago, placed the ball into the upper corner of the net, KU sophomore goalie Sophie Dawe having no chance for a save.
It was the first goal of the season for Dudley, who scored nine goals a year ago. She had three shots on goal Thursday night.
That was it for the scoring, though KU’s Saige Wimes did have one shot carom off the crossbar. Wimes had three shots on goal.
“I think the main points of this one is we just played a great team, one of the few, true national contenders,” Lie said. FSU is ranked No. 2 in the Top Drawer poll and tied for sixth in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25. “I think if you polled college soccer and asked who’s (the) national championship favorite, Florida State might be the leader.
“You see why when you play them, talent all over the field, probably the player of the year in the country (Dudley) who scored the goal against us. So great opponent. Great crowd tonight, over 2,000 people. It made a world of difference.”
Lie added that KU “needed to find extra effort (and) energy to compete with this team,” and said both the players and crowd deserved credit for providing a spark.
“I can be tough on our team, maybe a harsh critic at times, but as I just told them, it’s because we have these kinds of performances in us,” Lie continued. “And the way we play, the identity of our program, the tactics of our team are all about unity, are all about grit. And today it showed up, and I’m glad that we put on that kind of performance and effort in front of our home fans.”
The crowd included several former KU soccer players, members of some club and high school teams in the area, Kansas AD Travis Goff and former KU volleyball coach Ray Bechard.
Florida State coach Brian Pensky credited KU for a strong effort.
“We expected Kansas to be a pressing team, an energetic team, physical team, team that wants to get behind us, team that causes problems. And they did that,” Pensky said. “Obviously it was great to get the lead. (We) fell asleep for half a moment, and then they got a goal back, and then it was a back and forth game. And credit to them. They’re a good team, and they’re well coached.”
KU will next meet Drake at 6 p.m. Sunday at Rock Chalk Park.
This story was originally published August 28, 2025 at 11:52 PM with the headline "KU women’s soccer team ties national power Florida State: ‘I think we can play’."
