University of Oklahoma Athletics
University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Bedlam Showdown Friday in Stillwater
October 24, 2019 | Soccer
NORMAN -- The Oklahoma soccer team is set for the second installment of Bedlam Friday night in Stillwater, Okla. The Sooners and Cowgirls will kick off at 7 p.m. CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
GAMEDAY STORYLINES
THE WEEKEND UPDATE
The Sooners hit the road for a pair of conference matches over the weekend, going 1-1 as they took on Iowa State and West Virginia. Against Iowa State, the Sooners used a first-half goal from redshirt senior Kaylee Dao to earn the 1-0 victory. The defense, along with junior goalkeeper Nikki Panas, shut down the Cyclones, allowing just six shots on the night and only two in the second half. On Sunday, the Sooners fell in a tough battle to West Virginia, 1-0. OU had multiple opportunities to net the equalizer late in the second half but couldn't find the back of the net.
BEDLAM REWIND
The Sooners and Cowgirls have already met on the pitch once this season, playing to a 2-2 draw in Norman on Aug. 29. With the Sooners trailing 2-0 late in the second half, Dao stepped up to net two goals in the final 15 minutes to force overtime. OU dominated the two overtime periods with a 7-2 shot advantage, but ultimately couldn't find the golden goal. Along with the brace by Dao, Oklahoma State's Jaci Jones had a brace of her own as she netted goals in the 26th and 65 minutes.
LEAGUE LEADER
Dao currently leads the Big 12 with 13 goals on the year, including a league-best five game winners. The Tulsa, Okla., native is averaging .76 goals per game to lead the conference. Dao also ranks second in shots with 63 and third in points with 26.
BATTLE FOR BIG 12 SEEDING
With the regular season winding down, the battle to make the Big 12 Tournament continues to heat up. The Sooners currently sit in sixth place in the standings with 10 points on the year. OU is just one point out of third place and two points out of second. Oklahoma State currently sits in first place with 16 points, followed by Texas at 12 and Texas Tech at 11. The Sooners have Oklahoma State and Texas left on their schedule with the potential to cause a shift in the standings.
IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Kaylee Dao has broken her way into the OU record books this season. With 13 goals on the year, the Tulsa, Okla., native is just two goals away from tying the single-season record of 15 set by Whitney Palmer in 2009. Dao has brought her career total to 29 to rank third-all time in program history. Her five game-winning goals in 2019 and 11 career game winners rank second all-time.
UNDERCLASSMEN DEPTH DISPLAYED
The Sooners have showcased their depth this season with 25 players seeing action. Of those 25, 17 are underclassmen and nine are freshmen. Freshman Jordan Lund has started all 17 games this season for OU and has played the fourth-most minutes at 1388. Fellow freshman Sydney Sheehan has appeared in all 17 games, starting 16, while putting in 1361 minutes. Maya McCutcheon has started 12 games, while tallying two goals, and Caroline Berutti has started 11.
DAO NAMED SENIOR CLASS FINALIST
Kaylee Dao has been chosen as one of 10 finalists for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award in college soccer. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
A two-time All-Big 12 first team honoree and 2018 All-Region second team honoree, Dao has started every game for the Sooners this season. Through 17 games, Dao leads the team with 13 goals, including five game winners and three penalty kick conversions. She has moved in to third all-time in OU history with 29 career goals and second all-time with 11 game winners.
Dao completed her undergraduate degree with a double major in environmental sustainability and social sciences and organizational studies in Aug. 2019. A redshirt senior, she is working toward a master's degree in human relations and currently boasts a 4.0 GPA.
SCOUTING REPORT
OKLAHOMA STATE
The Cowgirls enter Friday's match as the current Big 12 leader with a 5-1-1 record and 16 points in conference play. Overall, OSU is 12-1-3 on the year and currently ranked 13th in the nation. OSU has won five straight games, with their only blemish in conference play coming in its Big 12 opener against Texas Tech.
The Cowgirls are led offensively by Grace Yochum's 11 goals. OSU has four players with at least five goals on the season, with the team combining for 39 goals. Jaci Jones ranks second on the team with points, boasting six goals and nine assists. In goal, Dani Greenlee has started 12 games and played 1164 minutes. She has allowed just eight goals while compiling 35 saves and four shutouts.
UP NEXT
The Sooners will play wrap up the regular season with the Red River Rivalry on Thursday, Oct. 31. OU and Texas will face-off at 7 p.m. at John Crain Field with seniors Kaylee Dao, Kristina O'Donnell and Ivanna Rivas being honored in a pregame ceremony.
