The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma State
No. 12 Soccer advances to Big 12 Championship
11.09.2007 | Soccer
SAN ANTONIO -- For the second consecutive match, No. 12 Texas used the shootout to advance to the next round.
The second-seeded Longhorns ousted No. 6 seed Oklahoma State, 5-3, in the shootout to move on to the title match at the 2007 Big 12 Soccer Championship at Blossom Soccer Stadium on Friday, Nov. 9.
Texas (13-3-5) advances to the championship for the fourth time in history, all under current head coach Chris Petrucelli. UT will face top-seeded Texas A&M for the third time in the title match at 1 p.m. (CST) on Sunday, Nov. 9.
The night started early as Oklahoma State (13-5-3) midfielder Yolando Odenyo, an National Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American, scored in the 16th minute.
UT answered as NSCAA All-American Kelsey Carpenter (Allen, Texas) netted her ninth goal of the season. Freshman forward Alisha Ortiz (Highland Village, Texas) collected a ball that deflected off the OSU defense about 20 yards out. She fed Carpenter on the far side in the 34th minute to equalize the match at 1-1.
Towards the end of regulation, the Longhorns had three scoring chances in the last 90 seconds. Carpenter lined up a shot that an OSU defender deflected out of bounds. The ensuing corner kick, taken by junior midfielder Courtney Gaines (Sugar Land, Texas), was headed into the right post by sophomore forward Emily Anderson (Austin, Texas). Gaines collected the rebound from 35 yards out, placed it near the OSU goal but the ball was cleared out during the scramble.
In the final three minutes of the first overtime period, it looked as if the Longhorns would seal the victory. Texas junior goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger (Sugar Land, Texas) placed a free kick from the middle of the field inside OSU's six-yard box. Texas junior defender and NSCAA All-American Kasey Moore (Mission Viejo, Calif.) headed the ball in for what seemed to be the game-winner, but the official whistled UT for offsides.
In the penalty kick session, the Horns found fresh legs hitting each shot in the five-attempt shootout.
Moore scored first for Texas. Odenyo countered her shot with a miss, giving UT the 1-0 advantage. Carpenter extended the lead, giving Texas a 2-0 edge. OSU's Nicole Grimaldi scored on the next attempt as did Texas' Gaines, giving Texas a 3-1 advantage. Cowgirl Bridgette Miller made OSU's third attempt to come within one of Texas (3-2). Texas scoring leader and freshman forward Niki Arlitt (Houston, Texas) easily put away her attempt bringing up the fourth kicker, Annika Neimeier, whose attempt found the back of the net.
Pfenninger stepped to the line for the second time in three days to sink the game-winner and give UT its second consecutive berth in the championship match.
The Longhorns have gone to extra periods seven times this season, boasting a 2-0-5 record in extra sessions. Texas went to penalty kicks in the quarterfinal match on Wednesday (Nov. 7), advancing past Colorado, 4-2.
Pfenninger, who set the all-time record for Texas shutouts on Wednesday in the 0-0 draw with Colorado, registered four saves and allowed one goal in 110 minutes.
Oklahoma State goalkeeper Erin Stigler saved five UT shots on goal and gave up the only Longhorn goal of the match.
STATS (UT-OSU): Shots 12-19, Corner Kicks 6-4, Fouls 18-14.
