Cowgirls Win At Texas Tech

Friday, October 7

Lubbock, TX

6:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

7-5-2, 2-2-0

Texas Tech

8-3-2, 1-2-0

Oklahoma State

Texas Tech

October 07, 2016 | Cowgirl Soccer

Box Score

LUBBOCK, Texas – Oklahoma State scored an early goal and used a stout defensive effort to hold on for a 1-0 road win over Texas Tech Friday night at the John Walker Soccer Complex.

Marlo Zoller's goal in the fifth minute was the difference for the Cowgirls, who improved to 7-5-2 overall and 2-2-0 in Big 12 Conference play.

Behind a strong backline of five defenders, Michela Ongaro recorded her second shutout of the season in goal, collecting four saves along the way, as TTU (8-3-2, 1-2-0) collected 20 shots and 12 corner kicks in the match.

"It's big for us," said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. "We kind of dug ourselves a hole just a little bit early in the season – we weren't able to close out games like this. The last two we've shown that we've matured and toughened up a little bit. Tech is a great team, and they put us under a ton of pressure…

"That's what you've got to do on the road – you've got to grind it out and find a way to win. We were able to do that, and I was really proud of the girls."

The decisive score came just 4:31 into the match. Trying to make a move in the box, Courtney Dike drew a crowd of defenders before passing off to Zoller, who delivered a low shot to the far post from 12-yards out for her fourth goal of the season and a 1-0 OSU lead.

OSU was able to maintain the one-goal advantage over the final 85 minutes with a defense that picked up its fifth shutout of the season and first in conference play.

The Red Raiders tested that defense in the final half, posting 12 shots and seven corner kicks after intermission. The most dangerous of those chances came in the 74^th minute when Mary Heiberger blasted a long-distant shot that Ongaro leaped to tip over the crossbar.

OSU returns to action Sunday when the Cowgirls take on Kansas at 1 p.m. in Lawrence, Kan.