MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Sept. 18, 2024) – The West Virginia University women’s soccer team preps for its Big 12 Conference home opener on Thursday, Sept. 19, welcoming Kansas State to Morgantown. Kickoff at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Thursday’s match will be a Throwback Thursday game, with retro music and a special themed rally towel giveaway for the first 500 fans. Fans also are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy Campus Diversity Week activities in the concourse with various campus organizations.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $6 each. Any remaining tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Adam Zundell have the call of Thursday’s contest on ESPN+. The game also can be heard on 91.7 FM (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Thursday’s match marks the eighth meeting between West Virginia and Kansas State, as WVU holds an unbeaten record in the series at 6-0-1. Last season, the two teams met in Manhattan, with WVU earning a 1-0 win on Oct. 12, 2023. Taylor White scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute to lift West Virginia to victory. The Mountaineers have met the Wildcats in the regular season each year during Big 12 Conference play since KSU started its soccer program in 2017.
Last time out, the Mountaineers opened Big 12 Conference play with a 2-1 win at Cincinnati on Sept. 12. WVU used a pair of second-half goals in the 47th and 52nd minutes to earn the victory. A Cincinnati native, White broke through for West Virginia with the first goal, while fifth-year senior midfielder AJ Rodriguez scored the second and eventual game winner.
Fifth-year senior midfielder Lilly McCarthy was credited with an assist on both goals, while junior forward Ajanae Respass also assisted White’s tally. The two-assist performance was the first of McCarthy’s career, while Rodriguez’s game winner was her first since Aug. 20, 2023.
White and Respass are tied for the team lead with four goals this season, while Repass paces the squad in assists (4) and points (12). A Highlands Ranch, Colorado, native, Respass ranks second in the Big 12 in assists and assists per game (0.50).
Mike Dibbini, the program’s first and only head coach, is in his ninth season at the helm in Manhattan. He has put together a record of 38-90-19 at K-State. The Wildcats enter Thursday’s match with a 3-4-1 record this season, including an 0-1 mark in the Big 12. The squad opened league play with a 1-0 loss to No. 19 Colorado on Sept. 12. Ryann Reynolds leads the Wildcats’ offense with four goals, nine points and 16 shots on the season. In goal, Murphy Sheaff has notched 43 saves and a 0.843 save percentage.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Thursday’s match will be a Throwback Thursday game, with retro music and a special themed rally towel giveaway for the first 500 fans. Fans also are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy Campus Diversity Week activities in the concourse with various campus organizations.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $6 each. Any remaining tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Adam Zundell have the call of Thursday’s contest on ESPN+. The game also can be heard on 91.7 FM (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Thursday’s match marks the eighth meeting between West Virginia and Kansas State, as WVU holds an unbeaten record in the series at 6-0-1. Last season, the two teams met in Manhattan, with WVU earning a 1-0 win on Oct. 12, 2023. Taylor White scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute to lift West Virginia to victory. The Mountaineers have met the Wildcats in the regular season each year during Big 12 Conference play since KSU started its soccer program in 2017.
Last time out, the Mountaineers opened Big 12 Conference play with a 2-1 win at Cincinnati on Sept. 12. WVU used a pair of second-half goals in the 47th and 52nd minutes to earn the victory. A Cincinnati native, White broke through for West Virginia with the first goal, while fifth-year senior midfielder AJ Rodriguez scored the second and eventual game winner.
Fifth-year senior midfielder Lilly McCarthy was credited with an assist on both goals, while junior forward Ajanae Respass also assisted White’s tally. The two-assist performance was the first of McCarthy’s career, while Rodriguez’s game winner was her first since Aug. 20, 2023.
White and Respass are tied for the team lead with four goals this season, while Repass paces the squad in assists (4) and points (12). A Highlands Ranch, Colorado, native, Respass ranks second in the Big 12 in assists and assists per game (0.50).
Mike Dibbini, the program’s first and only head coach, is in his ninth season at the helm in Manhattan. He has put together a record of 38-90-19 at K-State. The Wildcats enter Thursday’s match with a 3-4-1 record this season, including an 0-1 mark in the Big 12. The squad opened league play with a 1-0 loss to No. 19 Colorado on Sept. 12. Ryann Reynolds leads the Wildcats’ offense with four goals, nine points and 16 shots on the season. In goal, Murphy Sheaff has notched 43 saves and a 0.843 save percentage.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
