By james art 
KANSAS CITY, MO – The No. 3-seeded West Virginia University women’s soccer team dropped a heartbreaking double-overtime game in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Sprouts Farmers Market Big 12 Championship, falling 1-0 to No. 6 seed Kansas at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on saturday night.
In the pouring rain that continued throughout the game, the Mountaineers (12-5-2, 8-2-1 Big 12) and Jayhawks endured a defensive battle that lasted the full 90 minutes. After full time, the game was scoreless and entered the first overtime period of the season and the Big 12 Tournament so far this year. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the first period, so it went to a second overtime.
Unfortunately for West Virginia, it was Kansas that opened the scoring in the 101st minute. The Jayhawk offense broke through the WVU back line and drove a ball past the redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Smith for the score at the end of the game.
In the final box score, Kansas outshot West Virginia 15-6, including 9-3 in shots on goal. KU also earned six corner kicks, compared to just three for WVU. Smith recorded eight saves in the loss, marking a single-game career high for the Apex, N.C., native.
With the loss, the Mountaineers fall to 10-4-2 all-time against the Jayhawks, as well as 1-2 in neutral site meetings. Additionally, WVU is now 17-5-3 in the all-time Big 12 Championship, while this is the team’s first overtime loss in the league tournament. West Virginia’s all-time Big 12 Championship overtime record is now 2-1-3.
The Mountaineers will now wait to learn their fate in the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show is set for Monday, Nov. 11 at 4:00 p.m. ET, while the first round will begin Nov. 15-17. West Virginia is looking to make its 23rd appearance in the national tournament.
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