When Kansas University women’s soccer coach Mark Francis learned this week his team might lose one of its seven exhibition games during an already shortened spring season, he scrambled to find a replacement.

Good thing for Francis he didn’t have to look far to fill the void.

Sunday afternoon, the Jayhawks took on that substitute squad – a team that even plays on the same campus – in KU’s men’s soccer club team. And in the end, it wasn’t the score that was most important. It was the competition.

“They’re a lot stronger and faster than us, so I think we knew it was going to be a hard task coming in, but I’m very pleased with the way we played today,” women’s forward Jessica Bush said. “It was very challenging, but I think we got a lot out of it, so it was great.”

Officially – or unofficially, since the game did not count in any standings and the scoreboard wasn’t even functioning during the first half – the men won, 4-1.

But Francis said the chance to play against a men’s college team was in some respects better than competing against a women’s team.

“It pushed them a little bit, which is good,” Francis said. “That’s what you want to do in the spring.”

Club-team forward Nick Allen got the scoring started just 10 minutes in when he collected a clearance pass and rocketed a shot into the right side of the net from beyond the goalie box past KU goalkeeper Julie Hanley.

The highlight of the day for the women’s team came about 20 minutes later, with the squad trailing, 2-0. Sophomore Shannon McCabe juked a defender before blasting a shot on goal that was deflected right to freshman Erin Lewis, who put the ball in the back of the net for KU’s lone goal.

It was a score that didn’t surprise Allen, who has seen the women’s varsity team first-hand as a male practice player.

“They’re real tough,” Allen said. “Just because they’re girls doesn’t mean they can’t play. They’re a good opponent. It was a good challenge for us. I think we all played well, and we all got something out of it.”