USAO’s women’s soccer team followed the men’s soccer team up with a playoff win of their own to advance to the semifinals of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) tournament. Unlike the men’s soccer team, the women’s soccer team had a home-field advantage coming in as the 3rd seed to Texas Wesleyan University ( TWU), who seeded 6th.
The Drovers started with possession quickly pushing it downfield. Within the first three and a half minutes, the Drovers pushed down and almost secured a goal; however, TWU’s goalie quickly jumped on the ball before it could get through the net.
After 15 mins of play, the Drovers had two shots on goal (SOG) to TWU’s zero. With 16 minutes and 30 seconds of the half left, USAO’s Aleigha Prince scored a goal after eight SOG. To end the half, Drovers were up 1-0, with nine SOG to TWU’s zero.
Starting the second half TWU had first possession. Again, the Drovers come out with a controlling presence. Putting up three SOG in less than six minutes. Play was stopped at roughly 40 minutes on the clock in order to help injured Drover Laura Barrantes off the field.
With 30 minutes left in regulation, the Drovers were awarded a free kick that was blocked. The same ball was then sent right back to the net by USAO’s Ilse de Jong. With 14 SOG the Drovers led 2-0.
With 11 minutes left Texas Wesleyan got a penalty kick where they scored. With five minutes remaining, de Jong scored another goal assisted by Luna Koester, putting the Drovers up 3-1.
At the end of regulation play, the Drovers won 3-1 and will head to the semi-finals. USAO will play the Oklahoma City University (OCU) Stars, who are the 2nd seed. The game will be hosted at the Brian Harvey Field Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
After the game, de Jong said that the team’s mindset will be different as USAO once again faces OCU, she continued to say that they will have confidence in the upcoming matchup.
Holden Pate is a second-year business administration major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
