Galekhutle's Game-Winner Sends OU to Big 12 Quarterfinals

Saturday, October 28

Round Rock, Texas

3:30 PM CT

University of Oklahoma

8-9-2, 3-5-2

Oklahoma State

12-8-0, 5-5-0

Oklahoma

Oklahoma St.

Photo by: Liz Parke

Galekhutle's Game-Winner Sends OU to Big 12 Quarterfinals

October 28, 2023 | Soccer

Box Score Bracket Championship HQ

By: OU Athletics Communications

ROUND ROCK, Texas – A late goal from Esalenna Galekhutle powered Oklahoma past in-state rival Oklahoma State, 1-0, on Saturday at the Big 12 Soccer Championship, sending the Sooners into the Big 12 quarterfinal.

Oklahoma (8-9-2, 3-5-2), who fell 1-0 to the Cowgirls in Stillwater last Monday night, outshot OSU 12-11 as Galekhutle's 76th-minute goal was the difference. The win earns the 10th-seeded Sooners a match with No. 2-seeded BYU on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the Big 12 quarterfinal.

"I'm just so proud of my team," first-year head coach Matt Mott said after his first Bedlam victory. "They just fought and fought and fought. It was a tough environment to play in against a tough opponent, but we got the job done and we're excited to move on."

Goalkeeper Olivia Ramey kept the Crimson and Cream in the match during the first half, corralling four saves to keep it scoreless after the first 45 minutes. The Sooners mustered three shots on frame in the first half, including a great chance in the first minute that was kept out by a diving save.

In the second half, Oklahoma State threw its numbers forward and took the first two shots of the second half, holding OU without a chance until the 57th minute when Emma Hawkins nearly opened her account. As the two rivals settled in, Mott changed his lineup and brought on Galekhutle, a transfer from Tyler Junior College, for Leonie Weber in the 69th minute.

It didn't take the Gaborone, Botswana, product long to make an impact. She took a pass just across midfield from Cailey England and then dribbled toward the Cowgirl net. As defenders closed in on her just outside the 18-yard box, the senior took her chance and fired her shot with a right foot that beat the OSU keeper and gave the Sooners a decisive 1-0 lead.

"Honestly, we just really trust Esa (Galekhutle)," Mott added. "She plays a lot on turf, so that was part of the decision at the time. She is quick and good with the ball. Both defenses were starting to slow down a bit and we felt that she could give us a spark. Obviously, just a great finish from her and that's the reason that she's on that (Botswana) national team. Just a really quality player."

The Sooners tasked Ramey with making one last save in the final seconds to preserve her clean sheet as Oklahoma held on for the 1-0 result, knocking off Oklahoma State (12-8-0, 5-5-0) for the first time since 2018. Ramey's seven total saves were a career-high, as the sophomore earned the seventh clean sheet of her college career.

The win marks the second consecutive season that the Sooners have won at least a game at the conference's championship.

Monday's match vs. BYU (14-1-3, 7-1-3), ranked No. 8 nationally, starts at 5:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Sooners fell to the Cougars, 2-0, in Norman on Oct. 16. The winner takes on the victor of the match between (3) TCU and (6) UCF.