[OKLAHOMA STATE-DUKE WOMEN] Oklahoma State moved into the final eight of the NCAA Women’s Tournament for the first time with a 2-0 win over Duke Friday in frontof 1,943 fans at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.
The Cowgirls improved to 20-3-2 on the season and 12-0-0 at home and advanced to next week’s NCAA quarterfinals, wherethey’ll face the winner of Saturday’s North Carolina-Notre Dame game in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Megan Marchesano and
“It’s a season of firsts for us,” said OSU coach Colin Carmichael. “Being in the Sweet 16 was great, but we didn’t want to befinished yet. Duke is a nationally known program that has been in the Sweet 16 three of the last four years, and if you go back further in their history, they’re one of the elite programs in thecountry. For us to beat them is a great achievement for our team and our program.”
OSU had several scoring chances early but didn’t score until the 37th minute when Marchesanocollected a pass from Lopez, took a couple of touches and blasted a shot from 15 yards out to the upper post that Duke goalie Tara Campbell had no chance ofsaving.
“Krista played me a perfect ball right where I needed it, and I saw which way [Campbell] was going so I just knocked it the other way,” Marchesano said.
OSU doubled its lead in the 62nd minute when Lopez took a perfect cross from Kristen Kelley and delivered her 15th goal of the season. That totalis tied for the second highest in a single season in school history and is just one shy of Yolanda Odenyo’s record of 16 in 2008.
Oklahoma State 2 Duke 0. Goals: Marchesano 8 (Lopez) 37, Lopez 15 (Kelley) 62.
Oklahoma State — Franch, Dougherty, Michalowksi, Parish, Mercado, Wernimont, Kelley, DeLozier, Lopez, Treadwell, Richardson. Subs: Leggett, Mathews, Brown,Marchesano.
Duke — Campbell, Jandl, Koballa, Haller, Rape, Kerr, Lipp, Lester, Doria, Weinberg, Pathman. Subs: Allen, Simpkins, Kreger, Canepa, Anasi,Straton.
Att.: 1,943.