Oklahoma State University Athletics
Undefeated Cowgirls Headed To Notre Dame Tournament
September 12, 2007 | Cowgirl Soccer
#16 Oklahoma State (4-0-0)
vs.
Washington State (2-0-1)
Friday, Sept. 14 • 4 p.m.
Alumni Field (2,500)
• • •
at
Notre Dame (1-2-1)
Sunday, Sept. 16 • 12:30 p.m.
Alumni Field (2,500)
South Bend, Ind.
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is off to its first 4-0-0 start since 2003 after dominating a pair of games to claim the OSU Invitational title last weekend. The Cowgirls topped Xavier, 5-0, on Friday before a 7-0 rout of Louisiana-Monroe on Sunday gave them the tourney championship.
The Cowgirls will next travel to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame Inn At Saint Mary's Classic. OSU opens the tourney Friday against Washington State before a showdown with tourney-host and ninth-ranked Notre Dame on Sunday.
Washington State
The Cougars are 2-0-1, with two of their contests going to two overtimes. WSU is ranked among the top 10 teams in the West Region.
Players To Watch: MF Anna Miller, D Allison Scurich, GK Brynn Bemis
Notre Dame
Notre Dame was the NCAA national runner-up in 2006 and enters the weekend 1-2-1 on the season after losing to Santa Clara and Stanford last week.
Players To Watch: F Kerri Hanks, MF Amanda Cinalli, MF Brittany Bock
In The Polls
OSU's highest ranking is No. 16 by Soccer America. The Cowgirls are also ranked 19th by SoccerTimes.com, 21st in the NSCAA/adidas poll and No. 28 by Soccer Buzz.
Notre Dame is ranked No. 9 by Soccer America and Soccer Buzz and 11th in the NSCAA/adidas poll, while SoccerTimes.com ranks the Fighting Irish 13th. WSU is not ranked.
On The Air & The Web
Fans can follow the Cowgirls' action in South Bend this weekend by accessing live stats on GameTracker via the internet at www.und.com. A link to GameTracker will also be available at www.okstate.com. Fans can also listen to a radio broadcast of OSU's game against Notre Dame on Sunday via free live audio at www.und.com.
Great Expectations
OSU is coming off the best season in the program's 12-year history, and optimism is high for an even better showing in 2007.
In 2006, the Cowgirls finished 17-3-3, setting a school record for wins. With an 8-1-1 mark, they finished second in the Big 12 Conference standings, also a program best. And after advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in its history, OSU won its first-ever NCAA tourney game with a 2-0 win over UNC-Greensboro before barely missing advancing to the Sweet 16 when they lost on penalty kicks to Clemson.
The Cowgirls returned eight starters from last season's squad, including six of their top seven scorers and the core of a defense that was among the Big 12's best in '06.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The Cowgirls ended the season in the national rankings for the first time in school history in 2006, and the pollsters have not forgotten about OSU in 2007.
For the first time in program history, the Cowgirls were ranked among the nation's top teams in each of the four national preseason polls, and with their 4-0-0 start they have already moved up in the rankings in all of those polls.
OSU was also picked by the Big 12 Conference's head coaches to finish fourth in the league race in '07, and senior Yolanda Odenyo was chosen to the preseason All-Big 12 team, a pair of preseason All-America teams and to the Hermann Trophy watch list.
Doing It With Defense
One of the biggest reasons for OSU's success in 2006 was a defense that was arguably the best in the Big 12 Conference.
The Cowgirls tied a school record with 12 shutouts in '06, and that total also tied OSU for the most blankings by a Big 12 team last season. Opponents attempted just 255 shots against the Cowgirls and only 16 of those found the back of the net. OSU ranked first in the league in goals allowed, and the Cowgirls' 0.66 goals against average was also tops in the conference.
Returning in '07 to anchor the defense are senior Niccole Grimaldi and sophomore Bridget Miller, along with record-setting goalkeeper Erin Stigler.
Led by those veterans, the Cowgirls are continuing to frustrate opponents. OSU has recorded shutouts in three of its four games this season and ranks in the top 20 nationally in goals-against average (12th at 0.246 GAA), shutout percentage (tied for ninth at 0.750) and save percentage (tied for 16th at 0.923).
Stigler and freshman Kaitlyn Gustaves have combined for shutouts in three consecutive games entering the Notre Dame tournament.
That's Offensive
While the defense has been strong, it certainly does not overshadow OSU's offensive attack.
OSU has scored 17 goals in four games this season, which gives the Cowgirls the third-highest scoring offense in the country at 4.25 GPG. The Cowgirls also average four assists per match, which leads the Big 12 Conference.
Six Cowgirls have at least four points this season, with Katie Richardson's nine leading the way. Richardson is tied for the team lead in goals and assists with three apiece.
In 2006, the Cowgirls' 39 assists was the third-highest total in school history, while their 46 goals tied for fourth. OSU also racked up 131 points, which tied for the third-best output in program history.
Led by All-America midfielder Yolanda Odenyo, the Cowgirls ranked third in the Big 12 in scoring at just under 5.7 points per game, as well as third in goals with 46. OSU's 38 assists was also third in the league.
