MANHATTAN, Kan. – Against Kansas State’s packed-in defense, midfielder Carla Portillo scored in the 84th minute to give No. 9 West Virginia a 1-0 win Friday night in women’s soccer.
The first-ever meeting between the teams was exciting until the end, when the Mountaineers (9-3, 2-1) found the goal they sorely needed late.
Portillo received a great ball above the 18-yard box from junior forward Sh’Nia Gordon. She beat two Wildcat defenders before ripping a shot from above the line that sailed toward the far right pocket for her second score of the season.
“I have to give Kansas State a lot of credit,” Mountaineers coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “They had a great game plan. They dropped a lot of numbers in front of the net, and it was hard to get a good look. They were disruptive. I was proud of Carla’s senior leadership. She found the back of the net. Finding that space was hard tonight with K-State putting so many numbers behind the ball.”
WVU finished with an 18-6 edge in shorts, placing nine on-frame. K-State’s Miranda Larkin stopped eight, including six in the first half. Sophomore Rylee Foster stopped two Wildcats chances.
The Mountaineers earned their seventh shutout of the season and the 15th of Foster’s career.
“I know this was important to the backline and to Rylee,” Izzo-Brown said.
The Mountaineers also finished with a 6-0 edge in corner kicks over Kansas State (5-6-1, 0-3).
Foster was challenged just once in the first half on a low shot from midfielder Maddie Souder in the 34th minute. She cleanly met the low attempt at the right post.
Portillo and Abam connected in the 38th minute. Abam met Portillo’s cross near the right post, but her header was caught by Larkin.
The Mountaineers’ best look of the first half came in the final 70 seconds. Magaletta received the ball from six-yards out and took a point-blank shot which Larkin batted down at the line.
Just three minutes into the second half, Mountaineers defender Amandine Pierre-Louis nearly broke scoreless play. With the ball high above the 18-yard box, she took a shot which Larkin batted away and into the right post. The ball skirted the goal line before Larkin gathered it for the stop.
Gordon nearly earned her own goal in the 66th minute. After a give-and-go with senior forward Heather Kaleiohi, she pushed toward the net. Larkin met her at the left post and stuffed her attempt.