A-State Women’s Soccer Drops OT Heartbreaker at Oral Roberts TULSA, Okla. (9/15/2013) — Arkansas State held a two goal advantage in the second half, but Oral Roberts scored three unanswered goals, including one in overtime, as the Golden Eagles defeated the Red Wolves 3-2 in overtime at the Case Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon. A-State (3-2-2), which played its third overtime game of the season, built a two goal lead by scoring two goals to start the second half. Katey Carmichael gave the Red Wolves the lead in the 61st minute after she gathered a loose ball inside the box and turned and fired it into the net for her second goal of the season. Samhia Simao then converted just two minutes later on her first goal of the season to give the Red Wolves a two goal advantage. Loren Mitchell picked up an assist on both goals, setting a new career high and tying her for the second most assists in a match in school history. Mykel Ward also assisted on the goal by Simao. The lead would not last however, as the Golden Eagles (5-2-0) ended the match by scoring three goals, including the go-ahead goal in the first overtime period to keep A-State from picking up its first win ever against Oral Roberts. “After playing so well we let this one slip away,” A-State soccer coach Tafadzwa Ziyenge said. “Overall it was a game that easily could have gone either way.” Kaily Cox started the comeback by connecting in the 76th minute by scoring on a header off of a corner kick and ORU tied the game in 80th minute when Jennifer Abernathy scored on a penalty kick after A-State was called for a foul inside the penalty area on the previous play. Mary-Kate Halsmer scored the golden goal in the 93rd minute of overtime to give the Golden Eagles the 3-2 victory. A-State had a pair of scoring opportunities in the first half. Simao nearly connected for her first goal of the season in the 11th minute, but ORU goalkeeper Maddie Rhodes made an outstretched save to keep the game scoreless. Summer Sheppard also had a shot land on goal in the 39th minute but Rhodes was again up to the challenge to keep the match scoreless heading into the halftime break. A-State failed to take advantage of a scoring opportunity in the game’s fifth minute when the squad had three straight corner kicks but were unable to convert the chances into goals. Amanda Lee was tested early on for A-State in goal. She made a save off a free kick in the second minute and then caught a break several minutes later when Abernathy had a shot bounce off the post. Lee also made a save in the ninth minute and benefited when her defense blocked a free kick from just outside the goalkeeper’s box in the 25th minute. Lee finished the afternoon with five saves and came up big at the end of regulation by making a pair of saves to keep the match tied and send it into overtime. Simao finished the afternoon with three shots on goal, while Carmichael had two of her own. Mitchell and Sheppard also had shots on goal during the match. The Red Wolves will return home to take on in-state opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff Friday, Sept. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the A-State Soccer Complex.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 21:42:39 +0000