University of Oklahoma Athletics
University of Oklahoma
Texas
OU Ends Skid; Ties No. 10 Texas
October 01, 2006 | Soccer
AUSTIN, Texas -- The 11th all-time meeting in the Red River Rivalry did not break the 5-5 tie in the series between Oklahoma and Texas on Sunday. Instead, the Sooners scored two second half goals to force double overtime and a 3-3 tie with the No. 10 Longhorns at Myers Stadium in front of a national television audience on ESPNU.
Texas led the overall shot count, 21-16, and held a 2-1 advantage on the scoreboard after the first 45 minutes. But the Sooners, who made the program's second appearance on national television on Sunday, forced the first overtime in the series, and first of the season, with second half goals from freshman Daphne Fitzpatrick and senior Kady Kelly.
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The tie ends the Sooners' three-game losing skid and improves them to 3-8-1 overall and 0-4-1 in Big 12 play. Texas dropped its second straight contest and fell to 8-3-1 and 2-1-1.
After Texas' Kelsey Carpenter put the Longhorns on top 1-0 at the 10 minute mark, junior Audrey Habibi helped OU counter with her first career goal in the 37th minute to tie the contest. However, the Longhorns came right back into OU's half of the field to regain the lead on Leslie Imber's tally at the 39:05 mark.
With a 2-1 lead at the half and an 11-5 lead in shots, Texas wasted no time in the second half and appeared to take control of the game with a goal in the 48th minute off the foot of Ashley Foster.
Down 3-1 with 25 minutes remaining, Oklahoma and its leading scorer, Kelly, made their move to bring the game within striking distance. Kelly, who netted her team-leading fourth goal of the season, brought OU within one goal after she found the back of the net at the 65:03 mark.
Six minutes later, the Sooners tied the game for the second time on Fitzpatrick's tally. The freshman scored her second career goal in the 72nd minute and two days after her first score at No. 8 Texas A&M on Friday.
The Sooners led the shot count in the two overtime sessions with a 4-3 edge and had two scoring chances in the final two minutes that failed to find the back of the net.
Kelly and Fitzpatrick led Oklahoma with three shots apiece and junior goalkeeper Jennifer Nichols (3-8-1) made five saves for the Sooners in 110 minutes of action. Nichols' counterpart, Dianna Pfenninger (7-3-1) made two stops in the contest. Oklahoma also held a 7-4 advantage in the contest off corner kicks.
The Sooners return home in search of their first Big 12 win of the season. On Friday, Oct. 6, the Sooners will host No. 17 Missouri (8-2-0, 0-1) at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 8, OU will entertain Iowa State (5-6, 1-0) at 1 p.m.
