Cowgirls down Sooners
Oklahoma State used a pair of firsthalf goals to defeat Oklahoma for the third time this season as the top-seeded Cowgirls advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals with a 2-1 win over their Bedlam rival Wednesday in Kansas City.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
— A late August trip to Norman that resulted in an Oklahoma State women’s soccer victory was one of the early moments that told the Cowgirls they could be in for a special season.
The Cowgirls scored another victory over their Bedlam rival — this time a 2-1 win in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday at the Swope Soccer Village — as they keep taking steps toward bigger goals ahead.
Haley Woodard and Coumba Sow each scored a first-half goal, with assists from Anna Beffer, to take a 2-0 lead on the Sooners.
OU responded with a goal by Madeline Brem early in the second half, but could never even the score.
At 16-2-2 on the season, the Cowgirls will next face Baylor at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.
OSU defeated Baylor 1-0 in Stillwater on Oct. 1.
“This program has a very proud tradition,” coach Colin Carmichael said. “We’ve won championships, we’ve been to NCAA Tournaments and Elite Eights. The last three or four years, we’ve still been very good. We just haven’t been able to reach those heights.
“This team has really bought into trying to be closer together, to fight for each other, that teamfirst mentality. This group has done a much better job of dealing with those little bits of adversity that come along and just being happy for each other.”
Having survived challenging situations early in the season, the Cowgirls built confidence and momentum during an opening stretch that saw them go 7-0-2 to open the year.
Following an exhibition win at Missouri, OSU won Bedlam in Norman in its third game of the season, and earned a 2-2 draw at a talented Texas A&M team.
“At the beginning of the season, we were fortunate enough to have success early, and I think we kind of ran with that,” said Beffer, a senior from Tulsa Union who leads the team with 12 assists. “It got everyone excited and it continued to build throughout the season. That only made our group stronger.”
A balanced offensive attack — eight different girls have scored at least three goals this season, led by Woodard with eight — has become even stronger thanks to a defensive side that has recorded nine shutouts this season.
“I’m self-aware enough to know that I have not had to make very many big saves this season,” said senior goalie Michela Ongaro, who is 13-2-2 as the starter with 71 saves and 13 goals allowed this season. “This has truly been a testament to how hard the defense has worked, how aware they are of the opponent.
“It’s nice to be firing on both ends of the field, because it takes the pressure off each unit, so we’re able go out and play our game. We know if we play our best, dayin and day-out, we have a chance to win any game we play.”