Cowgirl Soccer Continues Bedlam Series Dominance With Thrilling Win
STILLWATER – Samiah Phiri’s golden goal in the second overtime lifted Oklahoma State to a thrilling 3-2 win over Bedlam-rival Oklahoma Thursday night at Neal Patterson Stadium in the Cowgirls’ final home game of the season.
Phiri’s game winner in the 106th minute helped the Cowgirls improve to 8-5-2 on the season and 3-2-1 in Big 12 Conference play. Oklahoma dropped to 6-10-1 on the year and 2-5-0 in the league.
The win was OSU’s sixth in a row against the Sooners and pushed the Cowgirls’ record in the all-time series against OU to 30-9-4.
Grace Yochum and Megan Haines also had goals in the win, with Yochum adding a pair of assists, and freshman goalkeeper Evie Vitali had one of her most impressive performances of the season, finishing with a career-high 11 saves to nearly double her previous best of six.
Yochum got the scoring started in the 21st minute, which came just after a great chance by Olyvia Dowell was stopped by OU goalkeeper Nikki Panas. After an injury stoppage, the ball was touched back into play by Kim Rodriguez to Hannah Webb. Webb got it right back to Rodriguez pushing up the left side, and she sent the ball across the box to Yochum for a left-footed missile top shelf to the near post.
The Cowgirls doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when Yochum got another great chance as a result of a corner kick. Her shot was barely saved by the OU goalie, but Haines found herself in the right place at the right time and put the rebound just inside the near post on the left side.
OU battled back, getting their first goal from Jasmine Richards in the 75th minute on a diving header from the left side. Richards would quickly strike again in the 80th minute, this time scoring the equalizer with her left foot into the right side of the net off an assist from Ella Pappas to tie the score at 2-2.
Regulation would end with the teams still knotted at 2-2, and both teams had good looks in a scoreless first overtime period.
With just over four minutes remaining in the second overtime, the Cowgirls would find the golden goal.
The winner came as a result of yet another great opportunity produced by Yochum, who fired a shot from just outside the box, left of the net, that was saved by the OU keeper. The ball would then deflect off the goalkeeper’s hands and into perfect position for Phiri to race in from the right side and tap it into the back of the net.
Yochum’s goal was her fifth of the season and 32nd of her illustrious career as she once again climbed up the OSU career goals list, moving into a tie for third with Siera Strawser. She now sits three shy of tying the program record of 35 held by Yolanda Odenyo and Jolene Schweitzer.
Haines’ goal was her first of the season and fourth of her career, while Phiri’s game winner marked the second of her freshman season.
Rodriguez also recorded her third assist of the season and 24thof her career, moving her into a tie for fourth on the all-time OSU list with Jaci Jones; she is one back of third and three back of second. Webb also had an assist, her second of the year, in her final home game.
The Cowgirls are back on the road Sunday afternoon when they take on conference-leading Texas in Austin at 1 p.m.