Plus SoccerCats on the strugglebus, and VolleyCats fall to KU
Just like last weekend, since we’ve got a late game (though not the late game, thankfully), this morning’s Slate also serves as your early game open thread.
Soccer
Kansas State’s first trip to Arizona has started poorly, with the Cats extending their winless streak to 11 with a 2-0 loss at the hands of Arizona State on Thursday night in Tempe. The loss is also K-State’s 8th shutout loss this season, as the Cats fall to 3-10-3 and 0-7-2 in Big 12 play.
A season after finally making their first trip to the Big 12 Championships, it’s safe to say that the SoccerCats are dangerously close to missing out on postseason play again this year. It’s also not hard to criticize head coach Mike Dibbini and question the direction of the program in his 9th official season leading the program. Certainly, Dibbini gets credit for starting the program, but after a decade in charge in Manhattan, the Cats have not looked like they are on a trajectory to finish outside of the conference basement. Soccer may not ever be a “big” thing at K-State, but it’s okay to ask for more than last-place finishes and losing seasons year after year.
*Rant time: while soccer, women’s and men’s, is probably a sport that needs to be supported at K-State, I still firmly believe that then-AD John Currie made a massive mistake by choosing women’s soccer to replace equestrian when he chose to end support for that program. A much more natural fit for K-State and the sports culture in the state of Kansas would’ve been softball, regardless of how many teams in the Big 12 are playing it. Regardless, women’s soccer has my support, but…what could’ve been, we’ll never know.
Next up for the Cats is a Sunday afternoon (CDT) match with Arizona in Tucson, which can be seen on ESPN+ at 1:30pm CDT.
Volleyball
While things aren’t quite as dire on the volleyball front, the Cats were still unable to take one from No. 8 Kansas on Thursday night in Lawrence. But the Cats did make the Jayhawks earn it, as K-State pushed the home squad to five sets before ultimately falling in the first game of this season’s Sunflower Showdown set. It was the fourth-straight 5-set match for the Cats, who are now 6-10 overall on the season and 4-3 in Big 12 play.
The Cats return home to take on Big 12 newcomer Utah, currently No. 20 in the nation, on October 24 at Morgan Family Arena, starting at 6:30pm and can be seen on ESPN+.
Football
It’s a late game, but at least it’s not bedtime football this week as the Cats face West Virginia in Morgantown at 6:30pm CDT. Our fearless leader has your full How to Watch details for today’s Big 12 contest that will be aired on FOX. We may also have a staff roundtable post out before tonight’s game gets underway.
Chris Klieman has the opportunity to help grant many WVU fans’ wish tonight if he can lead the Cats to an important road victory, as the Mountaineer faithful have had enough of Neal Brown in 6th season in Morgantown. Brown and Klieman both arrived at their current posts in late 2018, and while K-State has found immediate and consistent success under Klieman, Brown has struggled to move the needle in Morgantown, and only avoided a possible firing last season by making a surprise push at the end of the year to make (and win) the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.