Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Iowa State
Late Goal Lifts Cowgirls To Win
October 07, 2011 | Cowgirl Soccer
Oct. 7, 2011
AMES, Iowa – Krista Lopez scored with just two seconds remaining in regulation as No. 2 Oklahoma State remained perfect with a 1-0 win over Iowa State Friday at the ISU Soccer Complex.
With the victory, the Cowgirls improved to 15-0-0 overall and 4-0-0 in Big 12 Conference play as they extended their school-record winning streak. The win marked just the second time in the 16-year history of the program that OSU has won in Ames; the only other Cowgirl win on ISU's home field came in 1996, OSU's inaugural season.
Lopez's goal was her team-leading eighth of the season, and she maintained her lead as the Big 12's leader in game-winning goals with her fourth of the season.
“The goal was very exciting; I thought our girls fought very hard and created some good chances late in the game, and we were rewarded at the end,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “Over the course of the game, we created numerous goal-scoring opportunities and certainly feel like we deserved to win.
"(Ames) has been a difficult place for us to win over the years, and it's a credit to this team that they were able to show a lot of toughness and maturity and come in here and get a positive result.”
Junior goalie AD Franch posted the shutout for OSU, her fifth of the season, as she collected four saves. The Cowgirls have now recorded 11 shutouts in 15 matches this season.
OSU dominated the statistics in the match, outshooting the home team, 21-7, and posting a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks.
However, the game would not be decided until the final seconds. Lopez gained possession, made several moves through the defense and sent a shot from the left side to the far post to set off a Cowgirl celebration just before the clock ran out.
OSU controlled the offensive attack in the opening half, owning a 10-3 advantage on shots, but could not get on the scoreboard as ISU goalie Andrea Swanson recorded four saves.
The Cowgirls' first good opportunity came just over seven minutes in when Kyndall Treadwell blasted a 20-yard shot that a leaping Swanson barely got her fingertips on and deflected off the crossbar.
OSU just missed out on a score again late in the half when Kristen Kelley's shot in the 42nd minute was saved by a diving Swanson. Abbey Akin raced in for a rebound attempt but just missed ball as the Cyclones again avoided trouble.
The second half resulted in several more near misses for the Cowgirls. At the 65:32 mark, Taylor Mathews delivered a shot from just outside the six-yard box that appeared headed for the back of the net before an ISU defender saved the ball off the line to keep the match scoreless.
With just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Swanson made yet another save as she dove to her right to stop a left-footed shot by Lopez.
OSU returns to action next week when the Cowgirls host Texas Friday at 7 p.m.
