Soccer Meets Texas Tech in Big 12 Quarterfinals

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma soccer team opens postseason play with the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Soccer Championship Sunday evening versus Texas Tech.

OU (8-7-3, 3-5-2 Big 12) meets the Red Raiders (9-3-6, 5-1-3) at 8 p.m. CT at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex in Round Rock, Texas. The match can be seen via Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.

After an impressive 2022 regular season for the Sooners, OU clinched a spot in the conference tournament for the second consecutive season and will be the six-seed facing off against the three-seed Red Raiders.

POSTSEASON STORYLINES

• Finish Strong: The Sooners responded to an 0-2-1 start by going on an eight-game unbeaten streak and six-game win streak through the months of September and October. OU's 8-7-3 mark is the best season under third-year head coach Mark Carr and the best by record since 2016. The team's eight- match unbeaten streak and six- game win streak earlier in the season was the longest of each category since the 2016 season (8 straight). Last week, the Sooners notched their first top-25 win of the Carr era and first ranked win since 2018 with a 2-1 victory over No. 12 TCU.

• Everybody Gets a Goal: The Sooners have had 12 different goal scorers in 2022, including five freshmen tallying at least one goal. Additionally, eight Sooners have two-plus goals and six have three or more. Twelve Sooners have also made at least one assist this season.

• Record Setters: The Sooners have scored a goal in all 18 matches this season, marking the first time in program history a Sooner squad has scored in every match of the season.

NEW FACES CONTINUE TO SHINE

New faces have been on display for OU in 2022 as the Sooners have 18 newcomers: 14 true freshmen and four transfers. The 2022 recruiting class ranked 11th in the country via Top Drawer Soccer and No. 1 in the Big 12. Ten true freshmen have started for Coach Carr in 2022, and 13 of the 14 have seen playing time. Of OU's 33 goals on the year, 16 have come from newcomers, including 10 goals from freshmen.

• Hawkins Packs a Punch: Senior transfer Emma Hawkins has proved to be OU's goalscorer this season. Hawkins leads OU with six goals and 13 points, taking 48 shots on the year and putting 23 SOG (48%).

• Washington Named Top Drawer Soccer Midseason Top 100 Freshman: OU freshman Alexis Washington was recently named the No. 23 freshman in the country according to Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Women's Top 100 Freshmen list. Washington has been instrumental to OU's offensive firepower in 2022, making eight assists on the year and starting 17 of OU's 18 matches. Her eight assists has tied a program single-season record that dates back 17 years (Lauren MacIver, 2005; Krissy Dawson, 2002). Washington has made an assist in seven games this season and recently had her first career multi-assist game with two vs. TCU.

• Geoffroy Named Big 12 Freshman of the Week: Oklahoma soccer freshman Ellie Geoffroy was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week last week. Geoffroy was the star in OU's 2-1 upset win over No. 12 TCU last Thursday, scoring the game-winner in the 82nd minute to hand TCU its first loss in conference play of the season. It marked OU's first top-25 win since 2018 and the first ranked victory under head coach Mark Carr. The goal was Geoffroy's first collegiate goal on just her fifth shot of her first-year campaign from her defender position.

Lead, washington SOC at UT _{Freshman Alexis Washington has tied the program record for single-season assists with eight in 2022.}

KEY RETURNERS

Fifth-year senior and high-point scorer from a season ago, Bri Amos, has picked up where she left off, scoring five goals in 2022 to go with two assist and 12 points. Leading OU's stout backline is defender Sheridan Michel who has started all but two games for OU in her two seasons on campus (38 career starts). Michel has tallied three goals this season, while fellow sophomore Leonie Weber has chipped in four goals and 18 shots on goal. Junior captain Cailey England has been a force in the midfield since stepping on campus, starting 50 career games.

Lead, SOC vs. WVU _{Sophomore Leonie Weber notched her fourth goal of the season in Thursday's match at No. 17 Texas.}

UP NEXT

With a win on Sunday night, OU would advance to the Big 12 Soccer Championship semifinals and meet the winner of No. 2 seed TCU versus seven-seed Kansas. The semifinal matchup would be Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. CT in Round Rock. The match will be shown on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+

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