Oklahoma State Cowgirl soccer survives scare in opener - Examiner.com

The No.5 Oklahoma State women's soccer team survived with a 1-0 win over UMKC Friday, August 17. The Cowgirls outshot UMKC 30-3, but had trouble closing and scoring.

The only score came as a UMKC player deflected a free kick from OSU’s Kelsey Bass into the back of the net in the 75th minute.

Still it was a win, and it was the 200th win in Oklahoma State women's soccer history.

The lone score in the match was the result of an own goal as a UMKC player deflected a free kick from OSU’s Kelsey Bass into the back of the net in the 75th minute.

“In the game of soccer you can dominate the 90 minutes and create a lot of chances and not score, that’s just the nature of the beast,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “Early in the season, those are the types of things that can happen because you’re not quite as sharp in front of goal and your movements aren’t quite as crisp… I was pleased with a lot of the build-up play, we just have to get better in the final third.”

“You also have to give their goalkeeper a ton of credit. She made four or five phenomenal saves, and she was easily the MVP.”

UMKC keeper Jami Finnell recorded 16 saves, the most every by an OSU opponent. She had nine in the first half.

In the opening half, the Cowgirls outshot UMKC, 18-2, with Finnell recording nine saves. In the game’s first 13 minutes, she notched diving saves on shots by Madison Mercado and Megan Marchesano to keep the home team off the scoreboard.

In the 33rd minute, the Cowgirls created another prime opportunity, as Taylor Mathews sent a pass to Allie Stephenson, who connected with Marchesano in front of the goal. But once again, Finnell came up with a big save.

The second half would be more of the same, with Finnell recording eight more saves and OSU narrowly misfiring several times, including a 25-yard blast from Mercado that caromed off the crossbar.

Finally, at the 74:35 mark, the Cowgirls caught a break. Bass lofted a cross towards the box from the near side and in the scramble for possession, the ball was delivered into the goal by a UMKC defender.

In the opening half, the Cowgirls outshot UMKC, 18-2, with Finnell recording nine saves. In the game’s first 13 minutes, she notched diving saves on shots by Madison Mercado and Megan Marchesano to keep the home team off the scoreboard.

In the 33rd minute, the Cowgirls created another prime opportunity, as Taylor Mathews sent a pass to Allie Stephenson, who connected with Marchesano in front of the goal. But once again, Finnell came up with a big save.

The second half would be more of the same, with Finnell recording eight more saves and OSU narrowly misfiring several times, including a 25-yard blast from Mercado that caromed off the crossbar.

Finally, at the 74:35 mark, the Cowgirls caught a break. Bass lofted a cross towards the box from the near side and in the scramble for possession, the ball was delivered into the goal by a UMKC defender.

With the shutout, Cowgirl senior All-American goalie AD Franch moved her OSU career record total to 33.

OSU returns to action Sunday when the Cowgirls host Weber State at noon.