Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Gonzaga
Cowgirls Top Gonzaga, 2-1
September 01, 2013 | Cowgirl Soccer
Sep 1, 2013
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State remained undefeated with a 2-1 win over Gonzaga Sunday night at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.
Courtney Dike and Madison Mercado netted goals, and Rosa Medina recorded five saves as the Cowgirls improved to 3-0-1 on the young season.
“We didn't play as well as we'd like to, but any time you get a win you're happy,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “Over the course of the game, we might have deserved to win, but the last 10 minutes we rode our luck a little bit. Gonzaga's direct style caused us issues, and that's something we'll keep working on to get better at.”
OSU struck first, taking a 1-0 lead on Courtney Dike's fifth goal of the season. In the 35th minute, the freshman won the ball from a GU defender and goalie Christie Tombari, then converted the open-net opportunity.
The Cowgirls dominated the first-half stats, outshooting the Bulldogs 11-5 and collecting 10 corner kicks, and took the one-goal lead into intermission.
GU (1-2-0) began creating more chances in the second half and finally recorded the equalizer in the 69th minute. Tori Lee sent a free kick into the box where Emily Eckmann was able to get a foot on it and flick it past Medina to knot the score at 1-1.
That score was short lived, however, as less than two minutes later, Mercado put the Cowgirls back on top with a 25-yard blast to the far post. The goal was Mercado's third of the season, with two of those being game winners.
The Cowgirls would have to withstand a furious late rally from GU to hang on for the win, and it was Medina stepping up in the box that played a big role in sealing the win.
With just over six minutes remaining, OSU's junior keeper dove to her left to save a long shot by Heather Johnson. And at the 4:16 mark, she turned in her most impressive save of the night, diving and saving a Kasey Rubosky blast off the far post and then corralling the ball before it could carry over the line.
“(Medina) has been solid all year and stepped up with a couple of massive saves late that were big time,” Carmichael said.
The final stats showed both teams taking 13 shots, with each goalkeeper recording five saves. OSU finished with 14 corner kicks, tying for the sixth-most in a single game in school history.
OSU returns to action next weekend with a pair of road matches against top 10 opponents as the Cowgirls face Florida State Friday before a Sunday contest against Florida.
