College Soccer Roundup

Oklahoma 1 Kansas 0

Make it four for the Oklahoma soccer team in 2014.

The Sooners knocked off No. 14 Kansas to cap the regular season in style and notch the squad's fourth win over a top-25 opponent this season. Oklahoma (9-7-3, 3-4-1 Big 12) set up a strong defensive front that contained KU's (15-4-0, 5-3-0 Big 12) attack, securing the squad's third Big 12 win of the season.

The victory snapped a four-match losing skid for OU and secured the No. 6 seed overall in next week's Big 12 Soccer Championship for the Sooners. Oklahoma is set to face No. 3 seed Kansas in a rematch on Wednesday afternoon.

The Sooners overcame a sluggish start to bounce back early in the first half. In the first 25 minutes of play, OU was outshot 3-0 and locked in a midfield battle with the Jayhawks.

Following the first TV timeout in the 25th minute, the Sooners broke through to begin challenge the Kansas defense with a trio of corner kicks in quick succession. OU connected on shot attempts from Madison Kinzer, Lizzie Luallin and Shiloh Price, but each attempt was either off target or corralled by KU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Stroud.

Oklahoma broke through on the 40th minute when Rasha Roberts played the ball into Tori Bowman in the box for the Sooners. Bowman turned and was fouled by a Kansas defender, setting up a huge opportunity on a penalty kick for OU.

Roberts responded in a big way, neatly sending in her third goal of the season down the left side to put the Sooners up 1-0 with just minutes until halftime. The stat sheet reflected Oklahoma's bounce back in the final 20 minutes of the half, with OU outshooting KU 6-1 in that span and adding a 3-1 corner advantage.

Play became more physical as the second half began, with both teams trading fouls in an attempt to command possession and field position. The Sooners snagged a huge opportunity to extend their lead in the 60th minute when Kansas fouled just a foot outside of the box. Rayfield took the free kick, firing a shot straight through the Jayhawk defense that slipped wide left of the goal.

The Kansas offense began to pour forward as the match wore into the final 10 minutes of play, but the Oklahoma defense was there, continually picking off chances and denying the Jayhawks. Fahrner made her biggest save of the night in the final minutes of the match, leaping to snag a long shot from KU's Jamie Fletcher and clear the box.

The Jayhawks got once last chance in final minute when the Sooners committed a foul. KU put all 11 players in the Oklahoma box, but OU managed to clear the ball and moments later, the match went final. Just following the final horn, Kansas goalkeeper Kaitlyn Stroud was given a red card by the officials, ruling her ineligible for the rematch on Wednesday evening.

The Sooners are Kansas City bound next week for the 2014 Big 12 Soccer Championship at Swope Soccer village. OU will open against Kansas in a first round rematch on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. CT.

Oklahoma State 2 Texas 1

Oklahoma State won for just the second time ever in Austin Friday night as the Cowgirls picked up a 2-1 victory over Texas in the regular season finale at Mike A. Meyers Stadium.

Courtney Dike's goal in the 89th minute lifted OSU to the win as the Cowgirls improved to 10-8-1 overall and finished second in the Big 12 Conference standings with a 5-2-1 mark.

“It's huge,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “The Big 12 this year is one of the best I can remember and to finish second is massive. After starting the season 0-6, to fight back and finish second in the Big 12 is quite phenomenal. We've been on a great run, and the kids deserve so much credit for that.

“We didn't dominate, but we deserved to win. Texas is a good team and was tough to deal with because of their size and set plays. The first 10 minutes, they were pretty unlucky not to go up a goal or two, but once the game settled down we played really well.”

OSU outshot the Longhorns by a 22-15 margin and owned a 12-7 advantage on corner kicks, but UT goalie Abby Smith kept UT in it with a career-high 10 saves.

The Cowgirls took the game's first lead in the 13th minute compliments of the home team. Anna Beffer sent a cross into the box where UT defender Julie Arnold tried to head the ball away but instead sent it into the back of the net for an own goal and a 1-0 advantage for the Cowgirls.

The OSU lead held until the 39th minute. After Kelsey Bass was whistled for a foul on the edge of the box, Texas was awarded a penalty kick. Lindsey Meyer stepped up and delivered a shot that a diving Rosa Medina got her hands on but could not keep out of the net, and the game was knotted at 1-1.

OSU continued to own the attack after intermission but could not capitalize until Dike's late heroics.

On the game winner, following a scramble in the box, a Texas defender tried to clear the ball but it deflected off Krissi Killion. The ball bounced right to Dike, who turned and fired from four-yards away, sending it past Smith for her third goal of the year with 1:33 remaining.

“I was just waiting for the moment to get that chance,” Dike said. “I was watching the play occur and knew that if the ball slipped out, I had to shoot. Fortunately, it came my way, and I just turned and shot, didn't even think about it.”

OSU opens play in the Big 12 Soccer Championship Wednesday in Kansas City. The second-seeded Cowgirls will face No. 7 seed Baylor at 5:30 p.m. in opening round action.

North Dakota State 1 Oral Roberts 0

The Oral Roberts University women's soccer team was unable to overcome a late goal by North Dakota State on Friday as the Golden Eagles fell 1-0 in a Summit League battle at the Case Soccer Complex.

ORU dropped to 3-10-3 overall and 2-5-0 in league play, while the Bison improved to 8-7-2 and 4-2-2 against league opponents this season.

Lauren Miller netted the Bison goal in the 69th minute as Genna Joyce sent the ball across the box where it was collected by Miller just outside the left post. Miller blasted the shot from 15 yards out to make the match 1-0.

ORU had a golden opportunity two minutes before Miller's goal as Madison Valenzuela caught the NDSU keeper out of position. However, a defender snuck in front of the goal and deflected the opportunity.