Soccer Falls to Texas in Big 12 Tournament

Sunday, October 31

Round Rock, Texas

5:30 PM

University of Oklahoma

8-11-1, 4-5-0

Texas

11-3-5, 6-0-3

Oklahoma

Texas

Soccer Falls to Texas in Big 12 Tournament

October 31, 2021 | Soccer

Box Score Highlights

ROUND ROCK, Texas — The Oklahoma soccer team battled No. 20 Texas in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals but fell, 5-2, Thursday to finish their season.

The Sooners (8-11-1) saw plenty of chances in the match with freshman Bailey Wesco and senior Jazzy Richards recording goals in the game. OU outshot Texas 16-14 on the night putting eight shots on goal to UT's 10. Each team recorded four corner kicks.

"We can build on everything from this season," said OU head coach Mark Carr. "Last fall we didn't have a win and we only had six goals. Tonight, that's a top-ranked team in the country and if you look at the stats and you look at the game, the difference in the game is they have a world-class finisher in Trinity Byars. She got four chances and finished three of them. We just couldn't finish our chances.

"There's so much to be proud of, so much to build on. We have a core group coming back. I'm sad for the loss but proud of where we're going and what we can become. We just have more work to do."

The game moved at a fast pace from the start with OU getting the best look early in the match courtesy of freshman Keera Melenhorst and senior Bri Amos in the 22nd minute. After Melenhorst took the ball from outside the 18-yard box and made a cut towards the goal, she was tripped up but managed to get the ball to Amos who fired a shot that was saved by the UT keeper.

Carr commented on the no-call that proved to be a game-changer. "I felt that we were not awarded a clear penalty on Keera where she was tripped in the box," said Carr. "Those decisions change games and it was not given."

Texas (11-3-5) struck first in the 35th minute with Mackenzie McFarland finding the bottom left of the net. McFarland would find another quick goal in the 41st minute to put UT up 2-0 at half.

The Sooners fought back in the second 45. Following a touch pass from senior Olivia Odle and a beauty of a through ball from Amos, Wesco took the ball off the bounce and buried OU's first goal off her right foot. It marked Wesco's first career goal, Amos' fifth assist of the season and Odle's second assist on the year.

Texas would respond with a pair of goals from Trinity Byars in the 58th and 73rd minutes.

Richards wouldn't let the Sooners go down without a fight. As she has done all season, Richards found a late goal to keep OU in the game in the 73rd minute. The senior fired a strike with her left foot that managed to get by two UT players and find the back of the net.

Texas added an insurance goal by Byars, her third of the match, in the 79th minute to bring the final to 5-2, Texas. Freshman Une Georgsen made five saves in goal for OU on the night.

Oklahoma turned heads in the latter half of the season, winning four of its final six matches to finish the year 8-11-1 and set the foundation for what's to come for the program.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma Soccer, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_WSoccer) and like Oklahoma Soccer on Facebook.