Soccer Continues Road Swing in Spokane

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma soccer team continues the 2023 season this weekend with a pair of away non-conference matches. The Sooners travel to Spokane, Wash., for a two-game set vs. Gonzaga (Thursday, 9 p.m. CT) and Montana (Sunday, 1 p.m. CT). Thursday's match is available to watch via ESPN+, while no live stream of Sunday's game is available but live stats can be found through OUstats.com.

SEASON STORYLINES

• Starting Fast: The Sooners and first-year head coach Matt Mott opened the 2023 season at a scorching pace last weekend, going 3-1-0 with wins over Tulsa (6-0), ORU (4-2) and UAPB (8-1) scoring a combined 18 goals in four games. OU's 3-0 start prior to Sunday's loss at Samford was their best since 2009 when OU opened the year 4-0, and Oklahoma's 18 goals through four games are the most in program history. OU's eight goals vs. UAPB last Thursday tied the program record, accomplishing a feat that had been done only four times prior, most recently vs. UTSA on Sept. 6, 2015.

• Emma En Fuego: Oklahoma redshirt senior forward Emma Hawkins has led OU with a record-breaking start to her final college season. Hawkins was named United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week and Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a combined five goals and putting up 11 points on the first week of the season. Hawkins' had a hat trick in the season opener to tie the program single-game record for goals, and she set the program record for single-game points with seven vs. Tulsa. Hawkins' scored multiple goals in consecutive matches for the first time in her career, and her national honor was the first for OU since 2012 (Renae Cuellar).

• Head Man Mott: Head coach Matt Mott begins his first season at the helm of the Sooners in 2023, bringing with him over 25 years of coaching experience, including the last 13 years as the head coach at Ole Miss (139-97-32 record). Mott brings with him two members of his staff at Ole Miss, Richard Beebe and Jessica Hiskey, as assistants in Norman. The newly- added third assistant spot for the Sooners will be Warren Russ, serving as GK coach.

Oklahoma vs. UAPB _{Sisters Dani (L) and Andie (R) Wolfe combined to score three of OU's eight goals vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff last week.}

UP NEXT

Following OU's pair of away matches this weekend, the Sooners return home Thursday, Sept. 7 for a 7 p.m. CT match vs. Murray State. The game can be seen via SoonerVision on ESPN+ and tickets are still available for the match on SoonerSports.com/tickets.

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