Kent State University
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Kansas
Kent State To Face Kansas In Back To School Kick-Off At Zoeller Field At Dix Stadium Sunday
8/21/2026 9:08:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Kent, OHIO- The Golden Flashes Soccer team will face perhaps their toughest test of the early season on Sunday when the No. 12 University of Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12 come to town for a 1 P.M. kick at Zoeller Field at Dix Stadium for the Back to School Kick-off game.
Last Time Out
The Kent State Soccer team earned one point in a draw on the road against non-conference opponent Youngstown State on Thursday night by a score of 1-1.
The lone goal for the blue and gold came in the first half and the first score of the game as junior forward Jules Dolinski scored on a contested ball right in front of the net in the 18th-minute. With intense pressure on the defensive side of the ball from both teams for the remainder of the half, the score remained at 1-0 in favor of the Flashes heading into the final 45.
Youngstown State answered with the equalizer early in the second half in the 41st-minute as Autumn Fairfax scored in what would be the final goal of the game for either team.
KSU outshot the Penguins by a count of 16-11, but YSU won in the shots on goal category 4-3. Kent State finished the game with four corner kicks while Youngstown State recorded three.
Junior goalkeeper Emma Klein played all 90 minutes in net for the second straight game for the Flashes and was able to account for two saves in the draw.
Scouting The Jayhawks
Kansas is off to another strong start to the season with a national ranking of 12th according to the United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Jayhawks have produced a 2-1 record so far this season with shutout victories against Utah State and Missouri State. They most recently dropped their first game of the season on Thursday to No. 19 Ohio State to start their Ohio road trip.
Last season the Jayhawks finished with a trip to the Sweet 16 after a 16-6-3 record which included a trip to the Big 12 Championship game. The team brought back the conference leader in assists in senior defender Caroline Castans who finished 2025 with 15 helpers.Â
Leading Kansas in assists so far this season is junior midfielder London De Fini who has started this year off with three in as many games. Castans and sophomore forward Faith Jonhston both lead the team with a pair of goals early on.
Junior midfielder Jillian Gregorski was another Jayhawk named to the preseason All-Big 12 list as the team was picked to finish third. In net for Kansas will be senior goalkeeper Sophie Dawe who has recorded nine saves and two shutouts in three games as the starter.
Series History
Sunday's meeting will mark the first ever meeting between the two schools as the Flashes look for their first win in program history against a Big 12 opponent.
Up Next
A week of rest follows the Golden Flashes after their matchup with Kansas on Sunday. After that, KSU will head to Pittsburgh on Sunday, August 30th for another non-conference matchup with Duquesne of the Atlantic 10.
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