Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Look To Remain Perfect On Upcoming Road Trip
September 10, 2008 | Cowgirl Soccer
#14 Oklahoma State (4-0-0)
at # 26 Louisville (1-1-1)
Friday, Sept. 12 • 6 p.m.
Cardinal Park (2,500)
• • •
at Xavier (0-3-0)
Sunday, Sept. 14 • Noon
Xavier Soccer Complex (1,000)
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is 4-0-0 on the season, and the Cowgirls have outscored their opponents by a 15-1 margin while recording shutouts in three of their four matches.
Up next for the Cowgirls is a road trip that will match them against regionally-ranked Louisville on Friday night before pitting them against Xavier on Sunday.
OSU has never faced Louisville, while their lone meeting with Xavier came last season in Stillwater with OSU earning a 5-0 win.
Louisville
Louisville is 1-1-1 on the season, opening the year with a win over Butler before losing in double overtime to #8 Texas and tying Purdue.
The Cardinals are coming off a 16-6-2 season in 2007 in which they lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Players To Watch: F Shannon Smyth, F Ashley Auld, GK Chloe Kiefer
Xavier
Xavier enters the week with an 0-3-0 mark and will face Cincinnati on Friday before hosting the Cowgirls on Sunday.
The Musketeers were 4-14-1 last season and return eight starters from that squad.
Players To Watch: F Jessica Brooks, MF Melissa Zimmerman
In The Polls
OSU is ranked 14th by Top Drawer Soccer, 15th by Soccer Buzz, 16th in the NSCAA/adidas and Soccer Times.com polls and 18th by Soccer America.
Louisville is ranked 26th by Soccer Buzz, while Xavier is unranked.
On The Air & The Web
Fans will be able to follow this weekend's games on the internet via live stats. For Friday's game against Louisville, fans can access the live stats link at: www.uoflsports.cstv.com. On Sunday, the live stats link will be available at: www.goxavier.cstv.com.
Higher And Higher
OSU is coming off the two best seasons in the program's 13-year history, and optimism abounds for an even better showing in 2008.
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.
OSU followed the record-setting '06 season with a 14-6-3 mark in 2007 that saw the Cowgirls once again advance to the second round of the NCAA tourney. Along the way, they knocked off four teams ranked in the Top 10 nationally.
The Cowgirls return nine starters from last season's squad, including their top three scorers and the core of a defense that has been among the Big 12's best each of the last two seasons.
Becoming A Trend
For the second-straight season, Oklahoma State was nationally ranked in the preseason polls, earning a spot as high as No. 19 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll. With their 4-0-0 start, they have since climbed to as high as 14th in the national polls.
In 2007, the Cowgirls began and finished the season in the national rankings, the first time that has happened in OSU soccer history. The Cowgirls ended the season ranked as high as 17th.
The '07 season came on the heels of a 2006 campaign that saw OSU achieve its highest national ranking ever — No. 7 — and earn a spot in the final national polls for the first time in the program's history.
Along with being nationally ranked, OSU was picked by the Big 12 Conference's head coaches to finish fourth in the league race in '08, and senior Yolanda Odenyo was selected to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Doing It With Defense
One of the biggest reasons for OSU's success the last few seasons are defenses that have been among the best in the Big 12 Conference.
Through four games in 2008, OSU has allowed just one goal, and the Cowgirls' three shutouts, as well as their goals against average (0.25), leads the Big 12.
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. 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.
In '07, the Cowgirls continued to frustrate opponents with veteran defenders Jessica Jarrell and Bridget Miller and goalie Erin Stigler leading the way.
OSU recorded 10 shutouts on the 2007 season, which once again tied for the most in the Big 12, and the Cowgirls ranked among the conference's best in goals allowed (20), goals-against average (0.84) and save percentage (82.1).
That's Offensive
While OSU has established its defense as a strength, it certainly does not overshadow the Cowgirls' offensive attack.
The Cowgirls rank in the top three in the Big 12 in nearly every offensive category this season, including leading the conference in goals per game (3.75) and assists per game (3.00).
OSU scored 41 goals a year ago and averaged almost 18 shots per game. The Cowgirls ranked fourth in the Big 12 in shots (405), points (118), goals (41) and assists (36).
Seven Cowgirls collected at least 10 points during the 2007 season, with Kasey Langdon's 19 leading the way. Siera Strawser led the Cowgirls with eight goals, while Langdon's nine assists paced the team and ranked second in the conference.
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.
OSU ranked third in the Big 12 in scoring in 2006 at just under 5.7 points per game, as well as third in goals (46) and assists (38).
