Soccer Nets First Big 12 Win

NORMAN, Okla. -- The OU soccer team tied a season high with three goals for the second consecutive game to record a 3-2 win over Missouri on Friday night in front of 490 fans at John Crain Field. The victory was the first for the Sooners in Big 12 action this season and also the first on a Friday night.

The Sooners held a two-goal advantage on two occasions, but the Tigers hung in the game with two second half goals. Senior Savannah Scott scored what proved to the game winner in the 70th minute.

The win takes OU's overall record to 4-8-1 overall and 1-4-1 in Big 12 play, while Missouri fell to 8-5 and 0-4. Friday's meeting was the 10th in the series, which the Tigers lead 5-4-1.

Box Score | Cumulative Stats | 2006 Schedule

“I thought we took a huge step on Sunday (at Texas) and we knew that game would only have a true impact (on the season) if we took another step forward tonight,” said head coach Randy Evans. “I was proud of the team's effort. I thought we played extremely well early and then it became a battle of for us to hang on late.”

Oklahoma scored the first goal of the game off the foot of junior Audrey Habibi in the 18th minute. Habibi's second goal of the season was assisted by Scott and junior Lauren Harris. The scoring play started off a long pass at half field from Harris to Scott, which followed with a centering pass across the box that found Habibi for the header.

After holding a 1-0 lead for the first 45 minutes, the Sooners extended their advantage with a tally at the 52:40 mark. Senior Kady Kelly scored the game's second goal of off an assist from junior Tenesha Duncan. The tally was Kelly's fifth of the season, a team best.

Missouri cut the Sooners lead in half on an unassisted goal by Kristin Andrighetto at the 67:37 mark, but Oklahoma quickly countered less than two minutes later with Scott's third goal of the season. Habibi and freshman Rebecca Nelson set up the goal scored at the 69:20 mark.

The Tigers once again cut into the Sooners' lead in the 80th minute on Bianca Pritchett's goal and had opportunities to tie the contest with a flurry of shots in the final 10 minutes of the game. Missouri kept things interesting but OU held on to improve to 1-0-1 in the last two games after a season-high three-game losing streak.

Despite holding a 9-5 advantage in shots at the half, OU trailed in the final count 22-13. Missouri also held a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks on the night. Kelly and junior Allyson Kucera led Oklahoma with three shots apiece, while the Tigers Elyse Nikonchuck recorded a game-high five shots.

Defensively, junior goalkeeper Jennifer Nichols (4-8-1) made six saves on the night all in the second half. Missouri's Mallory Forst (8-5) stopped three Sooner shots, but only one in the second session.

The Sooners return to action on Sunday, Oct. 8 to host Iowa State (6-8, 2-2), who lost 3-2 in overtime at Oklahoma State on Friday.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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