Cowgirl Soccer In The NCAA Tournament

Oklahoma State will be making its 10^th appearance in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship Saturday when the Cowgirls take on Colorado in a first-round match in Boulder, Colo.

OSU is 9-6-4 all time at the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, and the Cowgirls have advanced to at least the second round six times, including a pair of Elite Eight appearances.

Here's a look back at OSU's previous nine NCAA tourney appearances.

2003: The first NCAA Tournament berth in program history came on the heels of the Cowgirls winning the Big 12 Championship title and the league's automatic NCAA bid. OSU traveled to Tallahassee, Fla., and dropped a 1-0 opening round match to Auburn.

2006: OSU recorded its first NCAA Tournament win in the opening round of the 2006 tourney, knocking off UNC Greensboro, 2-0, in Clemson, S.C., as Sasa Jackson and All-American Yolanda Odenyo netted goals for the Cowgirls.

In the second round, OSU battled – literally! – host Clemson in a game that saw a combined 57 fouls whistled (35 on Clemson) and seven cards issued. After 110 minutes of scoreless action, the Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16 by winning a penalty kick shootout, 4-2.

2007: OSU picked up an NCAA opening round win for the second-straight year as the Cowgirls traveled to Los Angeles and bested ninth-ranked San Diego, 2-1. Siera Strawser and Kasey Langdon notched second-half goals to lead OSU to victory.

In round two, the Cowgirls ran into the nation's top-ranked team, UCLA, on its home field. Led by Lauren Cheney and Danesha Adams, the Bruins were 4-0 victors in a game OSU trailed just 1-0 at intermission.

2008: The Big 12's regular season champion, OSU traveled to New Jersey for NCAA action in 2008. OSU, ranked No. 7 and with just one loss on the season, opened with a 1-0 win over Fairfield to set up a second-round match against host Rutgers.

Statistically, the Cowgirls would dominate Rutgers, outshooting the Scarlet Knights 20-8 and owning an 8-3 advantage on corner kicks. But neither team could score through regulation and two overtimes, and OSU's season once again ended in a penalty kick shootout loss, with RU advancing, 4-2.

2009: Riding the momentum of a Big 12 Championship tourney title, OSU again traveled west for the NCAA Tournament.

The Cowgirls drew 21^st-ranked USC in an opening round match at Santa Clara and despite outshooting the Trojans 19-8, were forced to go to penalty kicks once again to decide who would advance. This time, OSU would emerge from the shootout on top as the Cowgirls moved on with a 5-4 showing.

Another shootout awaited OSU in the second round against host Santa Clara as the two teams were knotted at 1-1 after 110 minutes. This time the Cowgirls fell short, 6-5, and their season came to an end in the second round for the fourth consecutive year.

2010: The 2010 NCAA Tournament brought a number of firsts for the OSU program. After another Big 12 tourney title, the sixth-ranked Cowgirls were rewarded as NCAA Tournament hosts for the first time ever.

In the opening round, OSU used second-half goals by All-American Melinda Mercado and Krista Lopez to defeat Michigan, 2-1.

The second round pitted OSU against 16^th-ranked Oregon State, and this time, the Cowgirls finally got over the hump as they advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time with a 2-1 triumph as Carson Michalowski scored the game-winner in the 82^nd minute.

OSU's Sweet 16 opponent was perennial power Duke, and the host Cowgirls were dominant in the match to earn a 2-0 victory and move on to the quarterfinals. Megan Marchesano recorded OSU's first goal, while Krista Lopez collected her 15^th of the season to seal the win.

In the Elite Eight for the first time in school history, OSU's tourney run came to an end against No. 7 Notre Dame, who handed the Cowgirls a 2-0 loss on their home field in front of a record crowd of 2,660 fans. The Irish would go on to win the NCAA championship.

2011: OSU's 2011 team marked the best in school history, a squad that went 22-2-2 and reeled off a 21-game unbeaten streak along the way.

The fourth-ranked Cowgirls opened their '11 tourney run with a 9-1 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Stillwater as six different OSU players scored goals.

OSU would win its next two NCAA games with 1-0 results on its home field, knocking off No. 16 Illinois in the second round before a Sweet 16 win over 18^th-ranked Maryland. Annika Niemeier scored the lone goals in both matches.

The Elite Eight saw the Cowgirls travel to Stanford to take on the top-ranked Cardinal in a matchup of two teams that were 1-2 in the national rankings for much of the season.

After a scoreless opening half, Stanford took the lead in the 52^nd minute, but OSU midfielder Sarah Brown recorded the equalizer with a long blast in the 69^th minute.

Regulation ended with the two teams still tied at 1-1, but the Cardinal ended OSU's historic season with a goal 2:40 into overtime and went on capture the NCAA championship.

2013: After a one-year hiatus, OSU returned to the NCAAs in 2013. The Cowgirls hosted Arkansas in the opening round but dropped a 2-1 contest to the Razorbacks.

2014: In OSU's ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Cowgirls were once again chosen to host and welcomed Arizona to Stillwater. The Wildcats won the opening round matchup, 1-0.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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