Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
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Mississippi State
Cowgirls Rout Mississippi State
September 17, 2010 | Cowgirl Soccer
Sept. 17, 2010
STILLWATER, Okla. – Junior Krista Lopez recorded a hat trick and was one of three goal scorers for Oklahoma State Friday night as the 13th-ranked Cowgirls cruised to a 6-0 win over Mississippi State at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.
In leading OSU to its fifth-straight win and a 7-1-0 record, Lopez netted three goals and became the 10th player in OSU history to achieve that feat. It also marked just the 14th time in program history a Cowgirl player has recorded three goals.
“It's really exciting; I wasn't expecting it,” Lopez said of the hat trick. “But my friend called it. She said, 'If you keep playing like you're playing, you're gonna get a hat trick.' I was laughing about it, but I ended up getting it.”
OSU's six goals was a season high, and the Cowgirls also got two goals from freshman Taylor Mathews and one from senior Katie Richardson.
“Coming into the season, one of our question marks was 'Who is going to score?'” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “Annika (Niemeier) getting injured made that an even bigger issue. But everybody has stepped up. Lopez has been tremendous over the last four games. It was a great performance.”
Lopez got the scoring started for the Cowgirls in the 33rd minute as her shot from eight-yards out deflected off an MSU defender into the back of the net.
That would be OSU's lone goal before intermission, but the Cowgirls would light up the scoreboard in the second half.
Richardson would be the one to jump start the OSU offense in the final half as she executed a perfect chip shot from 14-yards out over MSU goalie Abby Risner to make the score 2-0 in the 46th minute.
The next two goals came compliments of Lopez, who collected her team-leading sixth and seventh goals in the 57th and 62nd minutes. The first came off a perfect pass from freshman Kristen Kelley, who recorded the first assist of her career on the play.
Mathews would score OSU's final two goals on the night, getting unassisted scores in the 73rd and 78th minutes.
“We put them under a lot of pressure and created a lot of chances, we just had to execute,” said Carmichael of his squad's offense. “We talked about playing the right pass to the right person at the right time. We were a step off in the first half, but in the second half we did a much better job of concentrating in the final third, and it paid off with five goals.”
OSU returns to action Sunday when the Cowgirls face Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (CST).
