No. 23 Soccer clinches Big 12 regular-season title at Oklahoma State, 2-1

Sunday, October 23

Stillwater, Okla.

1 p.m. CT

University of Texas

12-1-4, 6-0-2

Oklahoma State

10-3-4, 3-2-3

Texas

Oklahoma St.

No. 23 Soccer clinches Big 12 regular-season title at Oklahoma State, 2-1

10.23.2022 | Soccer, Longhorn Foundation

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Texas stretched its unbeaten streak to a program-record 15 straight matches (11-0-4) dating back to Aug. 28

STILLWATER, Okla. – On a blustery Sunday afternoon at Neal Patterson Stadium, program history was made as No. 23 Texas Soccer (12-1-4, 6-0-2 Big 12 Conference) rode goals from sophomore midfielder Jilly Shimkin and sophomore forward Trinity Byars to a 2-1 win at Oklahoma State (10-3-4, 3-2-3 Big 12 Conference) and at least a share of the program's first Big 12 Conference regular-season title since 2001.

Texas Match Notes

With the victory, Texas clinched at least a share of the program's second Big 12 Conference regular-season title and its first since 2001.
Texas stretched its unbeaten streak to a school record 15 consecutive matches dating back to Aug. 28 against Florida.
The Longhorns also extended their Big 12 Conference regular-season unbeaten streak to 17 matches dating back to Nov. 6, 2020, at Texas Tech. Texas now hasn't lost a regular season league contest in 716 days.
The 2-1 triumph also marked Texas' first win at Oklahoma State since Oct. 20, 2002, and pulled the Horns within 12-13-7 in the all-time series against the Cowgirls.
Sophomore forward Trinity Byars' goal marked her Big 12 leading 14th of the season (sixth match winner), while sophomore midfielder Jilly Shimkin's score was her sixth (good for second on the team).
Sophomore midfielder Lexi Missimo registered her 10th assist of 2022 to take over the Big 12 lead.

The Details

Oklahoma State nearly broke through in the third minute. Off a cross from the right wing, Grace Yochum had a shot from the middle of the 18-yard box blocked. The ball deflected to the left into space as Yochum managed to race over and corral it. Her quick follow-up shot from eight yards out was saved by Savannah Madden as the graduate goalkeeper deflected it outside the left post.

Texas' first shot came at the 9:10 mark as sophomore midfielder Ashlyn Miller had a 25-yard attempt blocked and cleared.

Miller had another lengthy chance for the Longhorns at 18:22, but her 23-yard effort from outside the top of the box rolled wide left of frame.

Texas continued to hold the majority of possession as sophomore midfielder Jilly Shimkin had an 18-yard shot blocked at 24:37.

During the 27th minute, a Holly Ward cross from the left wing located a tightly-marked Lexi Missimo standing about eight yards out at the left post, but the Southlake, Texas, native's header traveled wide left.

After threatening numerous times, Texas finally grabbed the lead at 29:58 off an incredible individual effort from Shimkin. The Rockville Centre, N.Y., native took a feed from Missimo just outside the left edge of the box and nutmegged an Oklahoma State defender. Shimkin drove in towards the left post and somehow found a sliver of space to beat Cowgirl keeper Jordyn Nytes from seven yards out to make it 1-0.

Right out of the halftime break, it was OSU with the first scoring chance as Alex Morris blasted a 17-yard shot straight into Madden's arms.

Just seconds later off a Texas turnover at 45:51, Cowgirl Xcaret Pineda tried her luck from outside the top of the box, but pulled her effort outside the left post.

Adapting to having a strong wind blowing directly in their face in the second stanza, the Longhorns finally started to settle into the second half over the next few minutes. Fifth-year senior midfielder Emma Regan pulled the trigger from 18 yards out on the left side at 50:36, but drove her try high of frame.

The Cowgirls drew a foul in a dangerous position about five yards outside the left edge of the box during the 55th minute. Off the free kick, UT sophomore defender EmJ Cox managed to outleap the crowd to head the ball out to the left where junior defender Lauren Lapomarda cleared it away.

With the strong wind at her back, OSU's Yochum put a charge in a 25+yard shot at 55:08, but struck it directly to Madden.

Texas missed a huge chance to double its advantage at 60:29. Shimkin delivered a perfect through ball up the middle into the 18-yard box. Byars charged on to the feed, but pulled her shot just a foot outside the left post.

Off a Cowgirl turnover in the 62nd minute, Byars was granted a second chance and took full advantage. With the ball bouncing around inside the box, it deflected off an Oklahoma State player right to Missimo. She delivered a feed to the right to Byars, and she wasted no time tickling the twine for 10 yards out.

Texas came close to another goal at 71:16 as senior forward Sydney Nobles dropped a pass in space to Byars. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, Nytes managed to save the 12-yard shot with her right leg.

Oklahoma State nearly pulled one back in the 74th minute as a Nytes goal kick to midfield was headed forward directly into the path of a hard-charging Megan Haines. With the wind gusting at her back, she fired from 14 yards out but rattled her 14-yard shot off the top of the left post and out of play.

The Cowgirls did eventually cut their deficit in half to 2-1 at 78:10 as Pineda blasted a 25-plus-yard drive into the upper right 90.

Burnt Orange & White hearts skipped a beat during the 85th minute as a long Nytes kick from well back in OSU's end traveled over the Texas back line. While back peddling, Madden leapt and got a hand on the ball, but could only deflect it as it bounced over her head. The net minder quickly raced back and managed to corral it before it could potentially threaten goal.

With just one second left on the clock, the head referee signaled for a foul over near the Oklahoma State bench granting the Cowgirls one final chance. On the delivery into the box, a Texas defender managed to head the ball to the left and out of play as time ran out on UT's Big 12 regular-season title-clinching 2-1 win.