Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
West Virginia
Cowgirls Lose At West Virginia
September 23, 2012 | Cowgirl Soccer
Sept. 23, 2012
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia scored with just 88 seconds remaining in regulation to knock off No. 7 Oklahoma State, 1-0, Sunday at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
OSU All-American goalie AD Franch recorded a season-high seven saves but couldn't stop the shot of WVU's Frances Silva at the 88:32 mark as the Cowgirls dropped their first-ever contest against the Mountaineers and suffered a second-straight defeat for the first time since 2010.
Playing without injured starters Kristen Kelley and Miriam Rhinehart, OSU was shut out for just the second time this season as the defending Big 12 champions fell to 9-3-0 and 0-2-0 in conference play.
“It was a typical Sunday Big 12 game on the road,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “It was really tight. Our kids battled pretty hard and competed. We were pretty depleted there at the end – we only had three subs that could go in. Given the circumstances, starting six freshmen, we played reasonably well and had a chance to win the game.”
In an evenly played first half, the Mountaineers owned an 8-7 edge on shots, with both teams recording a pair of saves.
WVU had a couple of scoring chances from close range in the 18th minute, but the Cowgirl defense rose to the occasion, blocking one of the shots and clearing another off the line, to keep the Mountaineers off the scoreboard. And OSU got a standout play from Hayley McKinney when the sophomore defender made a sliding tackle to deny Kelsie Maloney of a shot opportunity 25 minutes into the match.
Franch also came up big, making a spectacular leaping save at the 33:07 mark on a seven-yard shot by Maloney.
In the opening minute of the second half, the Cowgirls narrowly missed falling behind as two deep shots by WVU both caromed off the crossbar, the first a left-footed chance by Bry McCarthy and the second by Silva.
Franch once again saved the Cowgirls in the 77th minute, this time diving and extending her left arm to deflect a shot by Maloney for another save.
“(Franch) kept us in it in the second half,” Carmichael said. “She made two or three big saves that kept them off the scoresheet and gave us a chance to win the game at the other end.”
In the 81st minute, OSU created a chance when Megan Marchesano went endline and sent a cross into the box, but George Christie's header sailed a few feet over the crossbar.
The match appeared destined for overtime until Silva won the ball near midfield with just under two minutes remaining, then beat her defender and delivered a shot from the top of the 18-yard box past Franch for the game winner.
OSU returns to action Friday at 7 p.m. when the Cowgirls host Iowa State before a Sunday night Bedlam showdown with Oklahoma.
