photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas midfielder Marit McLaughlin (12) celebrates scoring a goal against Iowa State on Friday, Oct. 15, 2026, at Rock Chalk Park.

It was a case of “better late than never” for the 19th-ranked Kansas soccer team on Friday night, as Marit McLaughlin’s 87th-minute goal lifted the Jayhawks to a 1-0 win over Iowa State in a Big 12 Conference match at Rock Chalk Park.

“It’s awesome,” said McLaughlin, who also scored the match-winning goal for KU in the final 10 minutes of the Jayhawks’ 1-0 win at Colorado on Sunday. “We talk about how we finish games out as a team, so I think being able to come together in the second half is a big deal for us. It’s a long game, just to be able to come together is great. It’s not just me. It’s everyone on the field and on the bench. Just to keep fighting is a big part of how we pride ourselves, so (winning late) is a big deal for us.”

Kansas (11-3-1, 5-1-1) has now won three straight matches and is 8-1-1 in its last 10, but the victory was anything but easy for the Jayhawks, as Iowa State (4-7-4, 0-5-2) played hard-nosed soccer for all 90 minutes.

“Relief more than anything,” KU coach Nate Lie said of his emotions following the match. “This is a game that if you want to compete for a Big 12 championship and compete for the big stuff, it was important that we take care of business. Iowa State played an excellent game and I thought they had a really nice game plan.”

Kansas – which is 6-0 at Rock Chalk Park this season and leads the all-time series against Iowa State 23-8-3 – got its match-winning goal on a corner kick by Livvy Moore, who picked up her conference-leading 11th assist of the season. Moore’s kick found McLaughlin at the near post and she put the ball in the back of the net for her fifth goal of the year, tying her with Caroline Castans for second on the team behind Jillian Gregorski’s seven.

The goal was the culmination of match-long pressure by the Jayhawks, who outshot Iowa State, 23-9, including 10-6 in shots on goal. KU had 10 corner kicks to the Cyclones’ zero and Lie said there are several reasons why his squad is able to find the back of the net late in matches.

“I think it’s two things,” said Lie, whose team has scored 22 of its 29 goals this season in the second half. “I do think we wear out opponents. I don’t know what the stat is right now, but I think it’s something like 25 goals to 3 or 4 in the second half (actually 22-4), but we’re really owning the box score in the second half. We have resilience and do a good job of feeling urgency. We also do a pretty decent job of calming down in the most intense moments instead of panicking.

“What I told the team is that I think, and hope, and wish that we could do that much more in the first half. I think this game was there to be had if we would have approached the first 45 minutes like we approached the last 45.”

The teams played to a scoreless tie in the first half, with both sides having scoring opportunities, but not being able to find the back of the net. Kansas outshot Iowa State, 8-4, in the opening 45 minutes, but the Cyclones had four shots on goal to KU’s three. The Jayhawks had all three corner kicks, while Iowa State was whistled for six fouls – including the half’s lone yellow card – to four for Kansas.

Sophie Dawe picked up the win in goal for Kansas, making six saves to earn her eighth shutout of the season. The Jayhawks have not allowed a goal in three straight matches and currently have a scoreless streak of 292:18 dating back to KU’s match at Baylor on Oct. 2.

Kansas is back in action on Oct. 22, when the Jayhawks host No. 22 BYU in a crucial Big 12 conference match between two top-25 teams. Kickoff at Rock Chalk Park is scheduled for 6 p.m.