Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Penn State
Cowgirls Lose To No. 9 Penn State
September 13, 2013 | Cowgirl Soccer
Sept. 13, 2013
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State jumped out to a two-goal lead over No. 9 Penn State Friday night, but the Nittany Lions scored four unanswered goals to claim a 4-2 win in front of 1,316 fans at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.
The loss was just OSU's second on its home field since 2010 as the Cowgirls, who were facing a top-10 ranked opponent for the third-straight game, fell to 3-2-2 on the season.
“The way we played tonight, I was very pleased; our intensity was great, we created a lot more looks at goal than we did against Florida or Florida State and that's something we talked about this week in training,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “If we continue to play with the intensity we did and create those chances and keep working like we did, we'll have a good season. The hard thing is doing that consistently.”
Allie Stephenson gave OSU an early lead as just 6:17 into the match she delivered a 22-yard shot top shelf for her second goal of the season put the Cowgirls up, 1-0.
That lead stretched to two in the 23rd minute when Stephenson sent a pass ahead to Krissi Killion, who beat a defender and PSU goalie Britt Eckerstrom to record her first-career goal.
PSU (5-1-1) answered less than two minutes later when Kori Chapic blasted a shot from 30-yards out to the far post to cut the OSU lead in half.
The Cowgirls had a prime opportunity to push their lead back to two just 62 seconds later, but Madison Mercado had a shot from close range saved by a diving Eckerstrom.
Ramping up its offensive attack, the Nittany Lions netted a pair of goals in just over two minutes to put them on top heading into intermission.
At the 35:34 mark, Tani Costa notched the first of her three assists when she sent a cross into the box that Mallory Weber flicked in from five-yards out to tie the score. In the 38th minute, Maya Hayes put PSU ahead with the first of her two goals on the night.
The score remained 3-2 for much of the second half. OSU's best chance at the equalizer came on a shot by Haley Maurice in the 71st minute that was saved by Eckerstrom, one of seven saves for the PSU goalie on the night.
PSU finished with a 21-14 advantage in shots, with the Cowgirls owning a 9-7 edge in shots on goal.
“At 2-0, (PSU) got a nice goal, but right after that Maddie (Mercado) had a great look and missed; if that goes to 3-1 it changes the game,” Carmichael said. “Then at 3-2 in the second half, Haley Maurice had a great look at goal and it didn't go, and if that goes in it changes the game.
“I never thought (PSU) was just dominant. There was probably a 15-minute spell at the end of the first half where they were clearly the better team. Other than that, it was kind of an open game. (PSU) certainly deserved to win, they're a really nice team. But I think we gave them a good game.”
OSU returns to action Sunday when the Cowgirls host Washington State at 1 p.m.
