Oklahoma State Cowgirls Hustle Their Way Back to Big 12 Tourney Win Over Cincinnati
STILLWATER – In one of the most exciting comeback wins in Oklahoma State soccer history, the No. 5 seed Cowgirls battled back from a 2-0 deficit with 13 minutes to go to beat No. 12 seed Cincinnati 3-2 and advance in the 2024 Sprouts Farmer’s Markety Big 12 Championships. Oklahoma State will now advance to Saturday, Nov. 2 and the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals at CPKC Stadium against No. 4 seed BYU in a match that will start at 11:30 a.m.
“I’m feeling every bit of my age right now Robert, I’m not going to lie,” said head coach Colin Carmichael on radio after the match. “I don’t know if I can handle too many more of those. That was crazy. It is one of the best comebacks. We were out of it and it was hard to invision how we were going to get back in it. It is a credit to our kids and it shows their never say die attitude.”
Cincinnati scored with about 20 minutes left in the second half to go up 2-0 on a goal by Jada Arthurs. Her shot went from just outside the right corner of the box to the near post and past Oklahoma State goal keeper Gracie Gordon. Then the Cowgirls doubled down on the offensive end. Head coach Colin Carmichael subbed several players and the comeback began with Reganne Morris in the 78th minute.
The Cowgirls were relentless, however, and finally got on the board at the 77:05 mark when Reganne Morris collected a loose ball in the box and sent a shot to the near post past Anna Rexford to make the score 2-1.
“The first goal we were going a little more direct trying to put their back lin under pressure,” Carmichael explained. “Reganne Morris stepped up and was able to kind of spin at the top of the 18’ and shoot to the corner.”
Minutes later, Morris nearly got the equalizer off a corner kick, but her attempt was saved by Rexford.
OSU would get the equalizer in the 87th minute. Pineda collected a cross into the box from Ellie Geoffroy and ripped a left-footed shot that deflected off a UC defender and into the net to knot the score at 2-2. The goal marked Pineda's sixth of the season, tying her career high.
“When that one went in there was maybe about three minutes left and I said let’s keep going,” Carmichael added. “We’re going to check on that (scoring - it was scored a team goal) because Xcaret should get more credit because it might have gone in anyway. If the ball isn’t going on line then it is a own goal.”
Big 12 Conference first-team performer and Scholar Player of the Year Alex Morris delivered the game winner with just 62 seconds remaining.
The game winner came at the 88:58 mark when Morris took several dribbles and crushed a 30-yard shot top shelf to the far post. The goal was the fourth of the season for Morris.
“I was further out than I thought when I decided to let it rip,” the older Morris said. “I just had a feeling after I let it go that it was going in.”
The Cowgirls stay in Kansas City and prepare for the BYU match in the quarterfinals on Saturday.