Nov. 6, 2009

Box Score in PDF Format

SAN ANTONIO - With a pair of goals in just over a three-and-a-half minute span late in the second half, fifth-seeded Oklahoma State knocked off top-seeded Missouri, 3-2, Friday night at Blossom Soccer Stadium to advance to the finals of the Big 12 Soccer Championship.

The win was the seventh in a row for the Cowgirls, who improved to 14-7 on the season and advanced to the conference tournament championship game for the second time in program history. OSU also made the finals in 2003, with the Cowgirls winning their first-ever Big 12 title that season.

Siera Strawser scored two goals, and Annika Niemeier recorded the game winner in the 80^th minute to lift OSU over the conference's regular season champion and into Sunday's title tilt against the Texas A&M-Texas winner. Sunday's match, which begins at 1 p.m., will be televised by Fox Sports.

After Missouri went ahead 2-1 in the 75^th minute, OSU answered with goals in the 76^th and 80^th minutes to claim the victory.

"That game was absolutely insane," said Strawser, who had not scored a goal since Sept. 20 against Arkansas State. "We went up a goal, but especially in the first half, they dominated us a lot and we couldn't really settle down.

"They scored that second goal, but we just found the heart to come back. We really wanted to make it to the finals. I haven't done it since I've been here. We were able to finish our chances and get it done, and it feels amazing."

OSU got on the scoreboard first via a free kick at the 25:17 mark. After Mizzou's Mallory Stipetich fouled Kasey Langdon, the Cowgirls were awarded a free kick from 22-yards out. And they took advantage as Strawser blasted a shot to the upper near post past MU keeper Tasha Dittamore to give OSU a 1-0 lead. The goal was Strawser's fifth of the season.

Missouri had several chances to score late in the opening half but each time was denied. The first came with 16 minutes remaining in the half as, off a corner kick, Brittany Hopkins came racing in and delivered a shot that bounced off the crossbar.

With just over five minutes until halftime, the Tigers again created a scoring chance off a corner kick, but OSU goalkeeper AD Franch saved a shot by Kendra Collins to keep Mizzou off the scoreboard.

Hopkins had another near miss with under two minutes remaining in the opening half as her header from eight-yards out sailed just wide of the open goal.

Just out of the halftime break, Franch once again denied the Tigers as she made a diving save of a shot by Krista Kruse less than a minute in.

After missing on several opportunities, Mizzou was finally able to record the equalizer with 19:22 remaining. Kelsey Blincow sent a cross to the top of the box, and Franch came to try and knock the ball away. But the Tigers' Alysha Bonnick won the battle as she headed the ball into the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1.

Missouri's goal snapped a streak of four consecutive shutouts by the Cowgirls. The last previous goal allowed by OSU was Oct. 16 at Texas Tech.

Just over five minutes later, the Tigers took their first lead. On a free kick from 19-yards out, Kristin Andrighetto sent a shot through OSU's wall of defenders and past Franch to give MU a 2-1 advantage at the 75:46 mark.

But OSU did not take long to answer, taking advantage of a free kick of its own with 13:06 left in the match. Colleen Dougherty took the free kick from just over 20-yards out and sent a cross into the box, where Strawser fought through traffic and headed a shot into the back of the net to tie the score once again.

OSU continued the furious scoring pace to go back with 9:24 remaining. This time it was Niemeier collecting her team-leading 11^th goal off a double assist by Kyndall Treadwell and Kasey Langdon. Niemeier's shot from just outside the box was deflected by a diving Dittamore but still found the net to give the Cowgirls a 3-2 lead. The goal proved to be Niemeier's team-high seventh game winner of the season.

With just under eight minutes remaining, another save by Franch prevented Mizzou from once again tying the score as the OSU freshman dove to save a shot by Andrighetto. Franch finished with four saves in the match

"Missouri really dictated the play unfortunately, and I thought the game was played at their tempo and their style, which is something we really didn't want to do," said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. "So to be able to pull out that victory, playing the way (Missouri) wanted to, was even bigger for us.

"Missouri is very aggressive, very fast and very strong, and we had to adapt to that. We rode our luck at times, but anytime you go down 2-1 late and show the character to come back, it tells you a lot about your team."