Soccer Marches On

Oklahoma

Kansas

Stat Comparison
Category	OU	KU
Shots	13	14
Shots on Goal	6	4
Corners	7	2
Fouls	16	6

Scoring Summary
Player	Assist	Time
OU: Tori Bowman	Abby Hodgen	34:25
KU: Liana Salazar	-	41:20
OU: Madeline Brem	Jemma Cota	61:37

Goalkeepers
Player	Mins	GA	SV
OU: Kaitlyn Fahrner	90:00	1	3
KU: Maddie Dobyns	90:00	2	4

Player of the Game
Madeline Brem // Fr. // Flower Mound, Texas Brem connected on Oklahoma's game-winner in the 61st minute, catching the deflection off a shot from Jemma Cota following a corner kick. The goal was the true freshman's fourth of the season and second game-winning effort, sending OU to the semifinals for the first time since 2010.

KANSAS CITY -- The Oklahoma soccer team is marching onward and upward, advancing to the Big 12 Soccer Championship semifinals for the first time since 2010.

OU logged its second consecutive win over the top-20 ranked Kansas Jayhawks, picking up a 2-1 victory at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City. True freshmen scored both of OU's goals as the No. 6 seeded Sooners (10-7-3) knocked off the No. 3 seed Jayhawks (15-5-0) to become the fourth and final team to advance in tournament play.

With the win, Oklahoma will face No. 7 seed Baylor tomorrow evening. The semifinal matchup marks the first-ever time OU has met the Lady Bears in conference tournament play. The last time Oklahoma won its first-round matchup in the Big 12 Soccer Championship, it advanced to the tournament title game.

Oklahoma opened with a strong first half against the Jayhawks, pressing the Kansas defense to put up a 9-5 advantage in shots (5-3 shots on goal). OU's earliest chance came in the 16th minute when Laura Rayfield sent in a laser of a shot on a free kick. The attempt dinged off the crossbar, but set the tone for the Sooners' attack in the half.

Kansas went on a run of its own beginning in the 30th minute, but Kaitlyn Fahrner and the OU defense responded. Fahrner scooped up on save off a shot from Liana Salazar and punched away another attempt to hold the Jayhawks at bay.

Oklahoma struck first in the 34th minute when Rasha Roberts sent in a long throw-in from the right side. Hodgen met the ball and put off a shot that was blocked, but Tori Bowman was there to control the deflection. Bowman sent in a rocket to the left post for her first goal of the season, giving OU a 1-0 lead.

Kansas responded with under four minutes to play in the half when the Sooners were whistled for a foul just outside the box. KU's Liana Salazar sent in the free kick on a tough shot, putting it past Fahrner to knot things up at 1-1.

The Jayhawks opened the second half with an intense press, but Oklahoma's defense responded as Fahrner made a save to keep KU off the board. The Sooners responded when Hodgen gave OU's offense a spark, driving down the right side and sending in a shot that was tipped wide right of the goal.

The ensuing corner kick was all the opportunity OU needed. Hodgen brought out the corner and Cota controlled it, sending in a shot that was blocked and deflected back into the box. Freshman Madeline Brem was there to meet it, punching in the ball in past Kansas to give Oklahoma a 2-1 lead in the 61st minute.

Kansas poured forward for the remainder of the game, frantically pushing the Sooner defense as it looked for the equalizer. Oklahoma had several heart-stopping moments, including a KU shot toward a nearly-empty goal that sailed just wide left with under 10 minutes to go and a corner kick that came to a standstill in front of the Sooner goal.

The Sooners never faltered, repeatedly clearing the ball, blocking away shots and staying composed as time wound down. When 90 minutes had ticked off the clock, it was the Oklahoma Sooners that emerged victorious.

Oklahoma was one of three lower-seeded teams to advance in the opening round of Big 12 Soccer Championship play, the first time a trio of lower-seeded teams have all advanced. OU will face Baylor tomorrow evening at 8 p.m., looking to advance to the conference championship game for the first time since 2010.

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Players Mentioned

Tori Bowman

Madeline Brem

Jemma Cota

Kaitlyn Fahrner

Abby Hodgen

Laura Rayfield

Rasha Roberts

Rasha Roberts

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics