Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Host Tourney, Look To Remain Undefeated
September 06, 2007 | Cowgirl Soccer
#17 Oklahoma State (2-0-0)
vs. Xavier (0-3-0)
Friday, Sept. 7 • 7 p.m.
Cowgirl Soccer Complex (1,000)
• • •
vs. Louisiana-Monroe (2-1-0)
Sunday, Sept. 9 • 1:30 p.m.
Cowgirl Soccer Complex (1,000)
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is off to a 2-0-0 start to the 2007 season with an overtime win over New Mexico in its season opener and a 3-0 road triumph at Arkansas State.
The Cowgirls will host the OSU Invitational this weekend, with Xavier, Louisiana-Monroe and Oral Roberts rounding out the tournament field. OSU will battle Xavier on Friday night and ULM on Sunday. ORU will play ULM on Friday night in Tulsa before facing Xavier in Stillwater on Sunday morning.
OSU will be looking to start its season 3-0-0 for the third consecutive year. The last time the Cowgirls started a season 4-0-0 came in 2003.
Xavier
The Musketeers are 0-3-0 and have been outscored by an 11-2 count. XU is coming off a loss Wednesday to Purdue and also has setbacks against Cincinnati (in 2 OT) and No. 20 Illinois.
Players To Watch: D Allison Osborne, MF/F Brittany Green, D Jillian Chuck
Louisiana-Monroe
ULM enters the weekend 2-1-0 on the season after a 2-0 win over Centenary on Wednesday. The Warhawks also topped Southern in their season opener and lost to Grambling State.
Players To Watch: F Sara Islas, F Elena Vasquez, F Allison Matson
In The Polls
OSU's highest ranking is No. 17 by Soccer America. The Cowgirls are also ranked 21st in the NSCAA/adidas poll, 22nd by SoccerTimes.com and No. 28 by Soccer Buzz.
Neither Xavier nor Louisiana-Monroe is ranked.
On The Air & The Web
Both of OSU's matches this weekend will be carried live by Stillwater Radio on KGFY 105.5 FM, with Bill Van Ness calling the action. Radio broadcasts can also be accessed via the internet at www.okstate.com (link is available under Audio Webcast). Fans will also be able to follow all OSU home games and the majority of the Cowgirls' road contests via live stats. Live stats for all home games can also be accessed by logging on to www.okstate.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 have eight starters returning 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 2-0-0 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.
