Cowgirls Soccer Finds the Win Column at Home
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State dominated possession throughout and found the back of the net twice in the second half to capture a crucial conference win over Kansas State by a 2-0 count Thursday night at Neal Patterson Stadium. Ally Jackson and Olyvia Dowell netted the OSU goals, and Evie Vitali posted her sixth shutout of the season as the Cowgirls improved to 7-5-2 on the season and 2-2-1 in Big 12 play. Kansas State fell to 6-7-2 and 1-3-2 in the league.
The Cowgirls were the aggressors throughout the entirety of the match, outshooting Kansas State 18-6, with eight of OSU's shots on goal to just one for the Wildcats. OSU also tallied nine corner kicks while having to defend against only three.
Despite having the ball on the offensive side of the field most of the night, it wasn't until the 75th minute that OSU got their first goal by way of Jackson. That score came when Hannah Webb sent a ball into the middle of the box intended for Gabriella Coleman. The ball got past Coleman and was deflected by a Kansas State defender, leaving it in perfect position for Jackson to come racing in from the left side and send a strike off the crossbar, just inside the near post and into the back of the net.
The Cowgirls doubled their lead in the 83rd minute when Dowell dribbled from near midfield all the way down to the left side of the box. She then made a move on a defender and put a perfectly placed shot off her left foot just over the outstretched hand of the Kansas State goalkeeper that deflected off the middle of the crossbar and into the net.
Jackson's goal was her second of the season and the third of the senior's career, while Dowell recorded her team-leading fifth goal of the year.
The Cowgirls are off on the weekend but will be back in action Thursday against Bedlam-rival Oklahoma at Neal Patterson Stadium in another pivotal Big 12 matchup.