No. 18/13 Tech Soccer downs No. 21 KU, 2-0

Sunday, October 5

Lubbock, Texas

1 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

10-1-1, 4-0-1

No. 21 Kansas

8-3-2, 2-3-0

Kansas

Texas Tech

No. 18/13 Tech Soccer downs No. 21 KU, 2-0

October 05, 2025 | Women's Soccer

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Taylor Zdrojewski’s brace power Tech to its 20th Big 12 win since the start of 2023

By: Andrew Stern

LUBBOCK, Texas – A Taylor Zdrojewski brace and five clutch saves from goalkeeper Faith Nguyen pushed No. 18/13 Texas Tech to a top-25 win over No. 21 Kansas Sunday afternoon at the John Walker Soccer Complex.

Looking to avenge last year's heartbreaking 2-1 loss in the Big 12 tournament, Texas Tech (10-1-1, 4-0-1 Big 12) used one of its strong performances of the 2025 season to earn their first top-25 win of the season on Sunday.

In front of another strong crowd of over 900 at Fort Walker, the Red Raiders nearly got off to a dream start, when a shot just 38 seconds into match from Sam Courtwright beat Kansas' (8-3-2, 2-3-0 Big 12) Sophie Dawe before clanging off the cross bar. The shot was one of six Tech shots the caught either the crossbar or the post in the win.

Not frustrated by the ball bouncing off the crossbar, the Red Raiders finally found the go-ahead goal in the 10th minute when a turnover by a KU defender was intercepted by Zdrojewski. After taking two touches, Zdrojewski opened her hips and uncorked a perfect shot into the upper right-hand side of the net for her ninth goal of the season.

The upper-90 strike gave the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.

Not even 10 minutes later the Red Raiders again nearly struck for a goal, when a beautiful one-two from Courtwright and Macy Blackburn found a wide-open Peyton Parsons deep in the KU 18-yard box.

The attacking-mid ripped a low line drive that was stopped by a game Dawe.

After a back-and-forth physical stretch of the first half did not produce a chance for either side, Zdrojewski again was right in the middle of a dangerous attack when the high press of reserve Storie Sexton forced KU into another errant pass that turned into a turnover.

With the ball on her dangerous right foot from 25-yards out, Zdrojewski switched the ball from her right to her left foot and unleashed another patented "Z rocket" that was punched by Dawe off the crossbar and wide of the goal.

Not even 90 seconds later, Zdrojewski again almost beat Dowe, when she ripped a near post shot one-v-one near post that the keeper for the third time in the half was able to deflect off the post.

The rebound fell to Sexton, whose right-footed volley was cleared off the goal line by a KUs Fiona Skwierawski and out of harms way.

KU had arguably its most dangerous attempt of the opening 45 minutes, midway through the 39th minute when a Lexi Watts shot was deflected by a Red Raider defender and high of the goal. On the ensuing corner, the stout Tech backline was able to stand tall, as KU was unable to record a shot off said corner.

Just under a minute later, the Jayhawks recorded their lone shot on goal in the first half, when Lydia Viets tested Nguyen from distance, but the keeper made a strong near post stop to keep the match 1-0 Tech heading to the break.

Armed with the lead and behind a nice 56th minute stop on Watts who ripped a tight angle shot that Nguyen was able to punch wide, the Red Raiders continued to lead 1-0.

Not even two minutes later a beautiful Courtwright through ball sprung Parsons past the KU back line and towards the goal. Winning a foot race, Parsons got in one-v-one against Dawe who made a sprawling late dive to turn away the midfielder again on another low shot.

In the 61st Parsons again had a strong shooting lane, but her shot was once again saved by the KU goalkeeper. Just 36 seconds later it was Nguyen's turn to turn aside a dangerous opportunity when she made a strong diving stop on another attempt from Watts.

The saved proved crucial as armed with the momentum again the Red Raiders forced a pair of teams saves from the Jayhawks on shots by freshman Raliegh Greason and Courtwright before goal number two finally came.

With the ball deflecting back over midfield, Emilie McCartney played a perfect one-hop ball over 40 yards that found a streaking Parsons. Showing her skill and experience, Parsons eluded a KU defender outside the 18 and looped a perfect ball that found a wide-open Zdrojewski deep in the KU six. The striker skipped a ball into the back of the net for her team-leading 10th goal of the season and second brace of the season.

Zdrojewski has now reached double digit goals in back-to-back seasons for the Red Raiders becoming the first player since Janine Beckie in 2014-15 to reach double-digit goals in back-to-back seasons. In total, Zdrojewski is just the third player in program history to reach 10 in back-to-back seasons joining Texas Tech Hall of Famers, Kristy Frantz (1996-97) and Beckie (14-15).

In the driver's seat with the ever-important second goal, the Red Raiders warded off a pair of last ditch attempts from KU in the 76th and the 87th minute to close out the third straight Big 12 clean sheet and fourth in five conference matches.

The shot in the 87th came after the Red Raiders once again hit the post, this time when Kylie Bahrs shot at the 83:05 mark beat Dawe before striking iron again.

Despite the four posts and two crossbars the Red Raiders hit on Sunday, they did close out the 2-0 victory, the 23rd-straight win when scoring twice dating back to a 2-2 draw at No. 7 BYU in 2023. In total, the Red Raiders are now 43-0-1 since the start of the 2022 season when scoring twice and 52-2-1 when reaching a pair of goals since 2021.

Tech's win on Sunday was also the Red Raiders 25th Big 12 win since 2022 (25-2-8) in 35 matches and was the 20th overall win (20-1-3) since 2023.

It was also the Red Raiders third straight win overall and pushes the Red Raiders to 7-0-1 in their last eight matches.

HEAD COACH TOM STONE:
"I think our team handled the physical aspect well and we started fast again. And the team built our confidence from there. Kansas did steal some of the momentum late in the first half and they started passing the ball around and finding an open player which stole some of the momentum we had and gave them some. But coming in at halftime we adjusted how we were going to play them on the flanks which gave us another free player in the middle which allowed that to not happen anymore and that swung the game back in our favor. KU is definitely a physical team, but not so physical that we got into stuff we couldn't handle. We just needed to match their physical nature and be strong on the ball and care about getting to the ball first. When someone did win the ball, it was important for us to get rid of the ball before they got double-teamed or swarmed. When those things happened, we were pretty good at breaking their pressure."

On Ngyuen's progression:
"This is only Faith's second season as a regular player because before she got here, she wasn't getting regular starts. So now we're seeing really a sophomore grow into a senior fast because she's wise. She's 21 or 22 but we're seeing her maturity off the field carry onto the field. She's making great decisions, and her communication has gotten more concise and efficient. If all goes wrong, Faith is still back there, so it's not necessarily going

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders once again will host a ranked team, this time on Friday night, when No. 7 TCU pays a visit to the John Walker Soccer Complex. The matchup between the last two Big 12 champions is set for 7 p.m.