Oklahoma State University Athletics
Texas Knocks Cowgirls Out Of Big 12 Championship In Shootout
November 10, 2007 | Cowgirl Soccer
SAN ANTONIO — Oklahoma State fell just short of advancing to the title match of the Big 12 Soccer Championship Friday night as Texas bested the Cowgirls on penalty kicks, 5-3, in a shootout at Blossom Soccer Stadium.
After two overtimes and 110 minutes of action, the score was knotted at 1-1. The second-seeded and 10th-ranked Longhorns advanced by converting all five of their penalty kicks. OSU's Yolanda Odenyo took the Cowgirls' first penalty kick but was denied by UT goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger and the sixth-seeded and 21st-ranked Cowgirls were knocked out of the tourney.
“It was a great game between two great teams and it was a shame somebody had to lose, but that's the way it goes,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael, whose squad is 13-5-3 on the season. “We gave great effort and with a little luck we could have won, but that happens.
“I'm happy with our performance, just disappointed in the outcome. Now we'll just look towards the NCAA Tournament.”
OSU got on the scoreboard first on a breakaway goal from Odenyo in the 16th minute. The Cowgirls' junior All-American got past four Texas defenders, took a beautiful pass from Annika Niemeier and went one-on-one with Pfenninger, drilling a shot past the Longhorns' goalkeeper to give OSU a 1-0 lead.
Odenyo's goal was her second of the tournament and seventh of the season, tying her with Siera Strawser for the team lead. Niemeier's assist was her fifth of the season, which ties her for second on the squad.
Texas would get the equalizer with just under 12 minutes remaining in the first half as the Longhorns capitalized on an OSU mistake. After the Cowgirls failed to clear the ball out of their end, UT's Alisha Ortiz took possession and found Kelsey Carpenter, who blasted a shot into the back of the net from 18 yards out.
The Longhorns narrowly missed a chance to take the lead just a few minutes later as Ortiz took a shot that got past OSU goalie Erin Stigler. But Cowgirl freshman defender Allyson Leggett cleared the ball off the line to keep UT off the scoreboard.
OSU also had a stellar defensive play with just over one minute remaining in regulation. Stigler came out of the box to challenge Carpenter but failed to secure the ball. Carpenter fired a shot, but a diving Niemeier kicked it out of bounds.
On the ensuing corner kick, Texas once again just missed a game winner as Emily Anderson's header caromed off the crossbar.
OSU outshot the Longhorns, 19-12, in the match, including an 11-3 margin in the second half. However, the Cowgirls did not attempt a shot in either of the overtime periods.
UT (13-3-5) took the shootout's first penalty kick, with Kasey Moore converting the attempt. Odenyo was up first for the Cowgirls but was denied by Pfenninger, who converted UT's fifth and match-deciding penalty kick.
Cowgirl Notes
* OSU is now 5-4 all-time in the Big 12 Championship. The Cowgirls have lost to Texas in the tourney semifinals each of the last two seasons.
* Odenyo's goal moved her into a tie for fifth place on OSU's all-time scoring list with 52 points and also tied her with Robin Rampey for fifth on the program's career list with 19 goals.
After two overtimes and 110 minutes of action, the score was knotted at 1-1. The second-seeded and 10th-ranked Longhorns advanced by converting all five of their penalty kicks. OSU's Yolanda Odenyo took the Cowgirls' first penalty kick but was denied by UT goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger and the sixth-seeded and 21st-ranked Cowgirls were knocked out of the tourney.
“It was a great game between two great teams and it was a shame somebody had to lose, but that's the way it goes,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael, whose squad is 13-5-3 on the season. “We gave great effort and with a little luck we could have won, but that happens.
“I'm happy with our performance, just disappointed in the outcome. Now we'll just look towards the NCAA Tournament.”
OSU got on the scoreboard first on a breakaway goal from Odenyo in the 16th minute. The Cowgirls' junior All-American got past four Texas defenders, took a beautiful pass from Annika Niemeier and went one-on-one with Pfenninger, drilling a shot past the Longhorns' goalkeeper to give OSU a 1-0 lead.
Odenyo's goal was her second of the tournament and seventh of the season, tying her with Siera Strawser for the team lead. Niemeier's assist was her fifth of the season, which ties her for second on the squad.
Texas would get the equalizer with just under 12 minutes remaining in the first half as the Longhorns capitalized on an OSU mistake. After the Cowgirls failed to clear the ball out of their end, UT's Alisha Ortiz took possession and found Kelsey Carpenter, who blasted a shot into the back of the net from 18 yards out.
The Longhorns narrowly missed a chance to take the lead just a few minutes later as Ortiz took a shot that got past OSU goalie Erin Stigler. But Cowgirl freshman defender Allyson Leggett cleared the ball off the line to keep UT off the scoreboard.
OSU also had a stellar defensive play with just over one minute remaining in regulation. Stigler came out of the box to challenge Carpenter but failed to secure the ball. Carpenter fired a shot, but a diving Niemeier kicked it out of bounds.
On the ensuing corner kick, Texas once again just missed a game winner as Emily Anderson's header caromed off the crossbar.
OSU outshot the Longhorns, 19-12, in the match, including an 11-3 margin in the second half. However, the Cowgirls did not attempt a shot in either of the overtime periods.
UT (13-3-5) took the shootout's first penalty kick, with Kasey Moore converting the attempt. Odenyo was up first for the Cowgirls but was denied by Pfenninger, who converted UT's fifth and match-deciding penalty kick.
Cowgirl Notes
* OSU is now 5-4 all-time in the Big 12 Championship. The Cowgirls have lost to Texas in the tourney semifinals each of the last two seasons.
* Odenyo's goal moved her into a tie for fifth place on OSU's all-time scoring list with 52 points and also tied her with Robin Rampey for fifth on the program's career list with 19 goals.
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