Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
3-6-0
Memphis
3-3-2
Cowgirls Run Win Streak To Three
September 19, 2014 | Cowgirl Soccer
STILLWATER, Okla. — Courtney Dike's goal less than three minutes into the match proved to be all Oklahoma State would need as the Cowgirls topped Memphis, 1-0, in the OSU Invitational Sponsored by Holiday Inn & Suites Friday night at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.
Dike's first goal of the season came just 2:33 into the match and propelled coach Colin Carmichael's squad to its third-straight win as the Cowgirls improved to 3-6-0 on the season with their second consecutive shutout.
“The most pleasing thing tonight was the shutout,” Carmichael said. “We got a shutout last Sunday (vs. UT Martin), and tonight we worked really hard as a unit. It was not our prettiest game, not our best game, but the girls found a way to grind it out. That's important to us.
“We've played a lot of good games over the years and lost so to play maybe a little bit sub-par and grind out a win against a good team was really pleasing.”
For Dike, getting in the scoring column in her seventh game of the year was a relief. The Cowgirl sophomore led OSU with 13 goals a year ago and is the leading returning scorer in the Big 12 Conference this season.
Dike's goal came when she beat her defender and blasted a shot from 22-yards out to the near post past Memphis goalie Maryse Bard-Martel.
“I feel great — I feel like now that I got one, hopefully more will come,” Dike said.
Shots were hard to come by in the match, with OSU owning a slight 10-7 advantage over the Tigers.
But the Cowgirls' defense, led by center backs Niki McKnight and Natalie Calhoun, came up big in the shutout.
Calhoun had a big stop early, blocking a shot from the top of the 18-yard box by Nugene Nugent in the eighth minute to set the tone for OSU.
Senior goalie Rosa Medina also came up big to record her second shutout, recording four saves on Memphis' seven shots, including a diving deflection of a shot by Nugent in the 55th minute that prevented the equalizer.
“McKnight and Calhoun in the heart of the defense were phenomenal, Delaney Kiely had her best game of the season, (Kelsey) Bass was good and Rosa (Medina) did her job,” Carmichael said. “It was hard work. (Memphis) is a good team. I'm pleased with the effort and the defending.”
OSU returns to action Sunday against Tulsa, who suffered a 3-1 loss to sixth-ranked Texas Tech in Friday's opening tourney game.
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Team Stats
Dike, Courtney (1)
Assisted By: Beffer, Anna
Shot from 22 yards to near post
2:33
