Sooners Play Host to Bedlam, Utah Valley

Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State
Aug. 26 | 7 p.m. CT | Norman, Okla.

Oklahoma vs. Utah Valley
Aug. 28 | Noon CT | Norman, Okla.

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Live Stats

FCSP // FOX Sports Go (vs. OSU)

FCSC, FSOK // FOX Sports Go (vs. UVU)

KREF Sports Talk 1400 Radio

Notes

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STATISTICAL COMPARISON
	OU	OSU	UVU
Record	1-0-1	1-0-1	1-1-0
Goals	5	5	5
Assists	4	4	3
Points	12	14	13
Shots	29	50	24
Corner Kicks	10	16	11
Saves	12	7	8
Shutouts	0	1	0
Goals Allowed	2	2	6

NORMAN — The Oklahoma soccer team concludes its season-opening homestand with a non-conference Bedlam matchup and a contest against Utah Valley this weekend. The Sooners will look for their third straight win against in-state rival Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. CT on Friday at John Crain Field before taking on Utah Valley at noon on Sunday.

GAMEDAY STORYLINES

BEDLAM TIME IN OKLAHOMA
Friday's match against Oklahoma State marks the first Bedlam Series opener across all sports in 2016. The non-conference contest will be the first of two showdowns between the Sooners and the Cowgirls this season, with the second taking place on Oct. 14 in Stillwater. A year ago, the Sooners swept the Cowgirls for the first time in program history (the schools have met twice a year since 2010). Of OU's six wins in the Bedlam series, four have come under fifth-year head coach Matt Potter, including three in the last four contests.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
After recording the first undefeated home season in program history in 2015, the Sooners will look to pick up where they left off at John Crain Field. OU finished an unblemished 6-0-2 in Norman last season and is 1-0-1 at its home venue so far in 2016. The Sooners' last loss on their home field came on Nov. 14, 2014, against Arkansas.

BALANCED ATTACK
In its first weekend of competition, OU showcased the depth it has on roster as 19 Sooners saw playing time. All four of the Sooners' goals came from four different players, with senior defender Rachel Ressler tallying OU's score against South Carolina in the season opener and sophomore forward/midfielder Kaylee Dao and sophomore defenders Angela Boyle and Jordan Hobart adding goals in the Loyola Marymount contest. The scores were the first in the collegiate careers of Boyle and Hobart. Additionally, senior forward Liz Keester and junior midfielder Lizzie Luallin contributed two assists apiece.

20 YEARS OF OKLAHOMA SOCCER
This season, the Sooners are celebrating 20 years of the Oklahoma soccer program, which was founded in 1996.

OPENING WEEKEND RECAP
• Oklahoma faced two top-25 opponents in the Nike Sooner Classic, finishing the weekend with an undefeated record.

• On Aug. 19, the Sooners started the season on a solid note, recording a 1-1, double-overtime draw against No. 24 South Carolina. In the 70th minute, senior Rachel Ressler found the equalizer for OU, tapping in the score following a deflected cross from Lizzie Luallin in the box. In a full 110 minutes in goal, Kassidie Stade recorded eight saves, including key back-to-back ones in the 83rd minute that preserved the tie and eventually aided in forcing overtime.

• The Sooners picked up their first victory of the season by a 4-1 mark over No. 25 Loyola Marymount on Aug. 21. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half, OU used a four-goal second half to notch the win. Scoring in the contest for the Sooners were sophomores Kaylee Dao, Angela Boyle and Jordan Hobart, while Liz Keester tallied two assists and Lizzie Luallin added one. All four of OU's goals came in a 27-minute stretch.

SCOUTING REPORTS

OKLAHOMA STATE
• The Cowgirls have opened the 2016 season with a 1-0-1 overall record, tying 2-2 with Georgia in a road contest and picking up a 3-0 win at Mercer. Senior Courtney Dike scored in both matches, freshman Jaci Jones added a goal at Georgia and junior Holly Brehmer and junior Niki McKnight recorded goals at Mercer.

• From its 2015 squad that posted a 9-9-2 record, Oklahoma State returns seven starters and 18 letterwinners, including a pair of three-time All-Big 12 performers in forward Courtney Dike and defender Natalie Calhoun.

• Junior Michela Ongaro remains OSU's main goalkeeper, who now has 36 collegiate career starts.

• The Cowgirls are led by Colin Carmichael, who has been with the program since its start in 1996 and is in his 12th season as head coach.

UTAH VALLEY
• The Wolverines split their opening-weekend contests, recording a 4-1 victory over Northern Arizona on Friday, Aug. 19, before falling 5-1 at No. 20 Arizona on Sunday, Aug. 21. Junior Alexis Peterson scored in both matches for Utah Valley, while junior Tori Smith, redshirt junior Sara Callister and redshirt sophomore Breanna McCarter added scores against Northern Arizona. Redshirt sophomore Sarah Davis started in goal in both contests, splitting time with freshman Brooklyn Nielsen at Northern Arizona.

• The Wolverines return seven of their top goal scorers from their 2015 team that finished with a school-record 14 wins, won its first-ever WAC Tournament championship and made its first appearance at the NCAA Tournament. Senior Sheridan Fox led Utah Valley with eight goals a season ago, and senior Kalli Suese was named this year's WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

• Brent Anderson is in his 11th season as the Wolverines' head coach.

ON THE AIR

Both matches will air through Sooner Sports TV, with the Bedlam match on FOX College Sports Pacific, and the Utah Valley game available on FOX Sports Oklahoma and FOX College Sports Central. The matches will also stream on the FOX Sports Go app. Chad McKee and former OU soccer player Molly Richey will call the action, and Megan McDonald will be on the sidelines. The matches will also air on KREF radio (98.5 FM, 1400 AM).

PROMOTIONS

Friday vs. Oklahoma State
Giveaway: 500 scarves; Face painting from 6-8 p.m.; Postgame autographs

Sunday vs. Utah Valley
Giveaway: 300 water bottles; Balloon artist from noon-2 p.m.; Postgame autographs

UP NEXT

The Sooners hit the road for the first time this regular season, traveling to No. 4 Virginia and George Mason. OU will face the Cavaliers at 4 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 2, before taking on the Patriots at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4.