photo by: Parker I. Johnson/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas forward Jocelyn Herrema (23) on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026 at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.

The Kansas soccer team bounced back on Thursday night with a 2-0 win in the Sunflower Showdown at Buser Family Park in Manhattan.

Kansas State, which held the Jayhawks scoreless and to just four shots prior to halftime, eventually gave way to Jordan Rowan in the 50th minute and Jocelyn Herrema in the 66th for a pair of goals.

“This was a really important and big win,” KU coach Nate Lie said. “I have a ton of respect for this Kansas State program. That first half was a stalemate. I don’t think either team created great chances. I don’t think either team was able to control the ball. It felt like one of those games where the first goal might win it. The thing I’m probably most proud about tonight is that we came out of halftime with a renewed sense of urgency and commitment. We made some coaching points and some adjustments tactically, and I think those were applied, and worked for the most part.”

KU ultimately outshot KSU 13-7 overall and 5-2 in shots on goal, with Sophie Dawe making a pair of saves for the Jayhawks — once on Gabby DeMers in the ninth minute and then against Anna Pagano an hour later — and Maddie Sibbing managing three for the Wildcats.

One of Sibbing’s saves was in some sense detrimental to the K-State cause, though. After a left-footed pass from Jillian Gregorski on the left wing gave Norah Jacomen the ball with some space, Sibbing blocked Jacomen’s initial shot, but she wasn’t able to corral it and Rowan pounced on the rebound.

It went down as the second goal of the season for the sophomore from Ohio and her first since the season opener (she missed several games along the way).

“Norah had a chance, and I felt like she might have rushed it a little bit, but the good part was that she put the ball where it needed to go and made the keeper make a save,” Lie said. “Jordan was in the perfect spot and tapped it in, and I think that allowed us to exhale. We probably had our best 10 to 15 minutes after that, and it felt like we might get a second goal.”

Gregorski had another shot on target soon afterward, but the second goal ultimately came, like so many of KU’s in recent years, off a play by Caroline Castans. The senior wing back sliced a low cross through one K-State defender, and then Herrema outraced Pagano to the ball for a one-touch shot across her body that beat Sibbing.

“That second goal wasn’t when we were pressing our hardest,” Lie said. “It was just quality from two seniors in Caroline and Jocelyn making a fantastic play. The team looked in control, and I’m really proud of the performance, the commitment, the unity, the grit, and eventually the result.”

The remainder of the match featured minimal action. KSU’s McKinnan Braswell finished with three shots to lead all players.

The Jayhawks improved to 9-3-1, including 3-1-1 in Big 12 play, with the victory. They will now face another difficult road test on Sunday in the form of No. 24 Colorado (9-3-1, 3-2-0), which just beat Baylor 3-0. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Central time.