Cowgirls Come Up Short In NCAA First Round

Friday, November 14

Stillwater, Okla.

2:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

10-10-1

Arizona

11-7-2

Arizona

Oklahoma State

November 14, 2014 | Cowgirl Soccer

Box Score

Nov. 14, 2014

Final Stats • Photo Gallery

STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State's season came to an end in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship for the second-straight year Friday as the Cowgirls suffered a 1-0 loss to Arizona at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.

The loss was only OSU's third of the season in 12 games on its home field as the Cowgirls ended the season with a 10-10-1 record.

“It's never easy; every team but one ends the season with a loss, and only the national champion gets to celebrate,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “We've got a lot of young players that will be coming back next year, and we have areas we need to improve. But I'm really proud of this group. We started 0-6 and had a lot of injuries and adversity, and we fought back to at least put ourselves in this position.

“I'm clearly disappointed we lost, but you also have to give great credit to Arizona. They're a tough team, and they're a really tough matchup for us in particular.”

The match was closely contested throughout, but Arizona was able to get the game's lone score in the 78^th minute when Alexandra Doller took a pass from Charlotte Brascia and delivered a shot from 10-yards out. OSU goalie Rosa Medina was able to leap and deflect the shot but couldn't keep it out of the net as Doller notched her seventh goal of the season.

Statistically, both sides had numerous opportunities. The Wildcats finished with a 19-12 advantage in shots, but each team had seven shots on goal. OSU owned the edge in corner kicks, 12-5.

Medina finished with six saves in the contest, several of them highlight-reel variety, including a leaping save just before intermission when she leapt and punched a shot by Lexe Selman over the crossbar.

One of four seniors for the Cowgirls, a group that also included Miriam Rhinehart, Baillie Burmaster and George Christie, Medina was a part of 52 OSU wins over the last four seasons.

“For the seniors, they made the NCAA Tournament three out of four years… they've definitely carried on our tradition of competing at a high level in the Big 12,” Carmichael said. “We hoped to go on a little NCAA Tournament run this year, and it wasn't to be. (The seniors) will be missed, but the program always moves on.”

Despite the disappointing end, Carmichael was pleased with the season overall and how the Cowgirls overcame their early season injuries and adversity.

“Crazy is a great word – it was an emotional roller coaster,” Carmichael said. “Preseason, we had high expectations; we've got some great players. When we lost so many players early, it just kind of threw everything into chaos. To be 0-6, for any reason, and to be able to fight back and go 10-3-1 heading into (the NCAA tourney), these kids deserve a lot of credit for that.

“It's hard, but these kids deserve a lot of credit for not quitting, for rallying together and finding a way to turn what could have been a disaster of a season into a positive.”