MANHATTAN, Kan. – Using emotions created from Thursday’s result in Lawrence, Sun Devil Soccer used first-half goals from Peyton Marcisz and Kierra Blundell to leave Manhattan with three points following a 2-0 win at Kansas State, the first-ever win for the Sun Devils at Buser Family Park.
As Kansas State (5-2-4, 0-2-1) tried to clean a loose ball in the defensive 18-yard box, Marcisz poached possession, then fired a left-footed strike towards the near post for the eventual game-winning goal – her first since scoring the lone goal in ASU’s 1-0 win against New Mexico State on Aug. 31, 2025 – in the ninth minute.
Twelve minutes later, Marcisz, the Sun Devils’ captain, connected with Blundell, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, while entering the offensive 18-yard box. After the initial touch, Blundell let the ball roll five yards, before sending a right-footed shot across the face of the goal and into the bottom-left corner for her third goal in conference play so far this season.
Marcisz’ goal-and-assist outing was the sixth goal-and-assist performance by a Sun Devil in a single match so far in 2026. She also did the feat during Arizona State’s 8-0 win over Grambling on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026.
The two goals were more than enough for the Sun Devils as Arizona State goalkeeper Kennedy Zorn, a Peoria, Ariz., native, stood on her head in net with a single-match career high nine saves throughout the match’s 90 minutes. She entered the match with a single-match career high of five set against Utah on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.
Zorn’s defensive effort came against a Wildcat offense that was credited with eight shot attempts throughout both halves of the match. Kansas State also had five corner kicks, while eight different KSU student-athletes were credited with at least one shot attempt, including forward Rilyn Rintoul who had a match-high six shots.
Scoring Summary
9’, 1-0, ASU, Goal by Peyton Marcisz
23’, 2-0, ASU, Goal by Kierra Blundell, Assist by Peyton Marcisz
From Head Coach Graham Winkworth
"I'm really proud of how the girls responsed after the defeat on Thursday.
We started today very brightly and all credit to the ladies for that. They were really focused and it showed. Scoring twice - relatively early - was wonderful as I felt like we have started a few games this season on the back foot, so to have a two-goal lead and manage the game in the second half was a different but nice feeling. (Kierra Blundell) and Peyton (Marcisz) took their goals very well. I thought it was a proper captain’s performance from (Peyton) today. She defended her socks off, but also drove the team forward in the right moments. I am so happy she got the goal-and-assist performance she deserved.
We will enjoy this moment, get some good food and look forward to our next road trip in a few days."
Match Notes
- Kennedy Zorn’s nine saves on the afternoon are the most by a Sun Devil goalkeeper since Pauline Nelles was credited with nine at Colorado on Oct. 10, 2025.
- The nine saves were the most by an ASU goalkeeper in a win since Nicole Panas had nine in a 2-1 victory over Oregon State on Sept. 22, 2017.
- The nine saves were the most by any Arizona State goalkeeper in a clean sheet victory under 10th-year head coach Graham Winkworth.
- With the result, Arizona State is now 2-0-0 all time against Kansas State with both victories coming via 2-0 score lines.
- Kierra Blundell has earned a point in both matchups against the Wildcats with an assist in 2024 and a goal in 2026.
- As a result of the victory, the Sun Devils have earned their second Big 12 win in three 2026 conference matches, marking the fastest Arizona State has won two league fixtures since starting its 2022 Pac-12 tilt 2-0-0.
- Sunday’s result marked the first clean sheet victory for Arizona State in league play since Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, when the Sun Devils beat Utah, 1-0, in Salt Lake City.
- The nine saves were the most by an ASU goalkeeper in a win since Nicole Panas had nine in a 2-1 victory over Oregon State on Sept. 22, 2017.
Up Next
Arizona State (7-2-2, 2-1-0) will travel back to Tempe for three days, before traveling to the Lone Star State for a showdown against No. 25 Texas Tech (6-0-4, 2-0-1) at 5 p.m. MST / 7 p.m. CDT on Friday, Oct. 2 at John Walker Soccer Complex in Lubbock, Texas.
The Red Raiders are coming off a 3-1 win over No. 13 Colorado in Lubbock on Sunday afternoon.
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