The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma State
Soccer tops No. 22 Oklahoma State 1-0
10.05.2012 | Soccer
Oct. 5, 2012
Box Score | Box Score 
Post-Match Interviews |
AUSTIN, Texas - A goal from senior Hannah Higgins in the 24th minute combined with the third-straight shutout from freshman goalkeeper Abby Smith lifted Texas to a 1-0 victory over No. 22 Oklahoma State. It was the Longhorns' first win over a top-25 opponent since topping the fifth-ranked Cowgirls 1-0 on Oct. 22, 2010.
The victory also gave UT (6-6-1, 3-0-0 Big 12) its first 3-0-0 start in Big 12 Conference play since 2002, when the squad opened the year 9-0-0 in league action. It is also the first time the Longhorns have won three consecutive Big 12 contests since Oct. 10-17, 2010, when the team beat Baylor, Missouri and Iowa State.
Friday evening, after the teams battled for possession for the first seven minutes, Oklahoma State fired the initial shot of the contest at 7:40 on an attempt by Carson Michalowski. Smith made the stop.
The Cowgirls (10-4-1, 1-3-1 Big 12) had a golden opportunity to take an early lead at 10:47 when Michalowski received a penalty kick, but the attempt hit off the cross bar. Michalowski followed with another shot, but Smith tallied another save.
Sophomore forward Allison Smith took the first shot for Texas at 19:03, but missed wide. Four minutes later, the Longhorns took the lead on the Higgins goal at 23:32. Senior Kristin Cummins set up the shot with a touch pass back to a streaking Higgins, who sent the ball into the lower left corner of the net.
Texas continued to apply pressure in the offensive end with consecutive corner kicks by sophomore Sharis Lachappelle and junior Gabby Zarnegar in the 29th and 30th minutes. Abby Smith also entered into the offensive mix, firing high at 30:59 off a free kick.
In the final 10 minutes of the half, OSU's Taylor Mathews missed high at 36:46 and UT's Lachappelle took the final attempt at 44:02, but Cowgirl goalkeeper Adrianna Franch recorded the stop.
UT opened the second half applying pressure, taking three shots within the first eight minutes. Freshman midfielder Lindsey Meyer recorded two attempts, but both went wide. Higgins took a shot at 52:35, but Franch came up with another save.
Oklahoma State had chances in the 54th and 56th minutes with corner kicks from Mathews. Megan Marchesano and Kelsey Bass both took shots off the corners, but the first was blocked and Abby Smith saved the latter.
The Cowgirls nearly tied the match in the 62nd minute as Abby Smith came out to play the ball and it bounced over her head. Marchesano ran past Smith and sent the loose ball to the back of the net, but was called offside, keeping the UT lead at 1-0.
OSU fired another shot, this one from Mathews, at 63:13, but it missed wide. Neither team recorded another attempt until 81:57 when Texas' Lachappelle tried to head one in but sent it high. Lachappelle took the last shot of the match two minutes later and it sailed high again as Texas sealed the victory.
Texas returns to action next Friday, Oct. 12, hosting Texas Tech (10-3-0, 2-1-0 Big 12) for a 5:30 p.m. contest. The Longhorns wrap up next weekend welcoming Kansas (8-3-1, 2-1-0 Big 12) to Austin for a 1 p.m. Sunday match.
Post-Match Notes
- Senior Hannah Higgins' goal at 23:32 gave her eight points in the last five matches after recording just two through the first eight contests.
- Sophomore Whitney Jaynes made her first start since the Nov. 11, 2011, South Carolina match that ended last year's campaign.
- Freshman goalkeeper Abby Smith recorded her fourth shutout of the season, tied for the second most among rookie goalkeepers in program history. Jamie Strong set the record with seven blankings in 1994.
- Texas recorded its 96th victory as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Among current members of the league, Kansas stands second with 68 Big 12 triumphs.
- After starting the season with a 2-6-0 record, the Longhorns are unbeaten in their last five matches at 4-0-1.
- UT has scored first in each of the last five contests and owns a 9-1 advantage in the first half during the span.
- In the last five games, UT has scored 2.40 goals per game after averaging 0.88 goals through the first eight matches.
