Nov. 2, 2009

Game Notes in PDF Format

#5-Seed Oklahoma State (12-7-0)

at the Big 12 Soccer Championship

Nov. 2, 4, 6 & 8 • San Antonio, Texas

Blossom Soccer Stadium (2,600)

Oklahoma State 

Oklahoma State finished the regular season with a 5-5 mark in the Big 12 Conference and is the fifth seed at this week's Big 12 Soccer Championship in San Antonio. Coach Colin Carmichael's Cowgirls are 12-7-0 overall and open tourney play Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. against fourth-seeded Nebraska. OSU lost to the Cornhuskers by a 2-0 margin on Oct. 4 in Lincoln.

OSU, which has suffered six of its seven losses this season by one goal, has outscored its opponents 38-13 on the season, and 12 different players have collected goals. Annika Niemeier leads the scoring attack with nine goals, while five Cowgirls have recorded four goals apiece. Freshman goalkeeper AD Franch leads the Big 12 with eight shutouts, four of those coming in league play. The Cowgirls also have a league-leading 11 shutouts in 2009.

Cowgirls At The Big 12 Soccer Championship

OSU is one of five teams to win a Big 12 postseason tournament championship, joining defending champ Missouri, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Texas. The Cowgirls won the 2003 Big 12 Soccer Championship with a 3-2 double overtime triumph over Missouri in the title game. OSU owns a 6-3-2 all-time mark at the Big 12 Soccer Championship.

The Cowgirls are 4-4-0 this season against teams in the Big 12 Championship field. OSU's all-time records against the teams in San Antonio are: Texas Tech (9-5-1); Colorado (3-9-3); Nebraska (4-10-0); Texas A&M (0-14-2); Missouri (5-9-1); Texas (6-8-3); Baylor (7-5-2) and Kansas (6-7-3).

On The Air & The Web

Fans wishing to follow the matches at the Big 12 Soccer Championship can do so via the league website at www.big12sports.com. Live webcasts, as well as live stats, are available for each match. OSU's games will be carried by Stillwater Radio on either KGFY 105.5 FM (Friday) or KSPI 780 AM (Wednesday, Sunday).

The Defense Never Rests

     One of the biggest reasons for OSU's increased success over the last several seasons are defenses that have been among the best in the Big 12 Conference.

     OSU leads the Big 12 with 11 shutouts, just one shy of the single-season school record. The Cowgirls have allowed only 13 goals and sport a 0.68 goals against average, both of which also lead the league.

     In 2008, OSU allowed just 18 goals and recorded 10 shutouts. The Cowgirls ranked third in the Big 12 in goals allowed and goals against average (0.75).

     The Cowgirls tied a school record with 12 shutouts in '06, and that total also tied OSU for the most blankings by a Big 12 team. Opponents attempted just 255 shots against the Cowgirls and only 16 of those found the back of the net. OSU ranked first in the league in goals allowed, and its 0.66 goals against average was also tops in the conference.

     OSU recorded 10 shutouts in 2007, which once again tied for the most in the Big 12, and the Cowgirls ranked among the conference's best in goals allowed (20), goals-against average (0.84) and save percentage (82.1).

Terrific Trio

     OSU's 2009 senior class -- Siera Strawser, Kasey Langdon and Bridget Miller -- has had quite a successful career during its time in Stillwater. On the current list of the winningest senior classes in Division I soccer, OSU's trio is 14th with a record of 61-17-10 (.750). Among Big 12 Conference teams, only Texas A&M's senior class has more wins over the last four seasons with 65.

Records Are Made To Be Broken

     A pair of Cowgirls are climbing the OSU career charts and are on the verge of vaulting to the top of several of those lists.

     • Siera Strawser has 30 career goals, five shy of OSU's all-time mark, which is held by Yolanda Odenyo and Jolene Schweitzer.

     • Strawser is OSU's career leader in shots with 272.

     • With 18 career assists, Strawser needs just two more to move into the top five on OSU's all-time list.

     • Kasey Langdon is tied for second on OSU's career assists list with 25.

     • Langdon has 23 career goals, leaving her only one shy of moving into the top five on the Cowgirls' career list.

     • Strawser and Langdon rank fourth and sixth on OSU's all-time scoring list with 78 and 71 points.

Importing Offense

     Junior Annika Niemeier leads the Cowgirls with nine goals, five of those game winners. The German also leads the squad with four assists and 22 points.

     With 18 career goals, Niemeier is tied for ninth on OSU's all-time list, and she is tied for seventh with 14 career assists. 

     Niemeier led OSU with 11 points in league play as she recorded four goals and three assists against Big 12 Conference foes. Three of those goals were game winners.

     During OSU's current five-game winning streak, Niemeier has racked up five goals and three assists.

Fabulous Freshmen

     OSU leads the Big 12 with 11 shutouts, a 0.68 goals against average and 13 goals allowed.

     A big reason for OSU's staunch defense is a pair of freshmen -- goalie AD Franch and defender Carson Michalowski. Franch leads the Big 12 with eight shutouts a 0.63 goals against average and has recorded 51 saves. Michalowski has started every game at defender in her first season in Stillwater.

     Freshman Megan Marchesano is also tied for second on the team lead in goals with four. 

More On AD

     Freshman goalkeeper AD Franch is having a record-setting rookie season in goal for the Cowgirls.

     A native of Salina, Kan., Franch already owns several OSU records and is on the verge of adding to that list. Among them:

     • Franch is tied with Erin Stigler (2006) for the most shutouts in a season with eight.

     • Franch's current goals against average of 0.63 would stand as the best ever in a season at OSU. Stigler's 0.71 mark in 2006 currently tops the list.

     • With eight shutouts, Franch already ranks fourth on OSU's career shutouts list. Stigler owns the all-time mark with 21.

     • Franch has recorded 51 saves, which ranks eighth on OSU's career list.

     • OSU's previous record for shutouts by a freshman was two by Bettina Grossman in 2005. The school record for goals against average by a freshman is 1.37, set by Breanna Truelove in 2004.