OU Soccer Opens Season With Loss To Furman

The Oklahoma soccer team fired 16 shots, including 10 on goal, but fell just short in its Friday night season opener at Furman. The Sooners dropped the match 2-1 in two overtimes inside Stone Stadium.

The Paladins struck first in the contest, notching an early second-half goal from senior Stephanie DeVita past OU goalkeeper Kassidie Stade to put Furman up 1-0 at the 48:34 mark. Senior Kristen Baker assisted on the score.

Trailing 1-0 with 1:40 left in the contest, the Sooners found the late equalizer as freshman midfielder Marissa McMahand sent the ball unassisted to the back of the net to force overtime. McMahand recorded a match-high four shots, while sophomore Rasha Roberts and sophomore Tori Bowman each added two.

The score remained knotted at one after the first OT before DeVita, the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year, punched in the game winner, her second goal of the match, on a breakaway at the 105:55 mark to secure the victory for Furman.

OU controlled possession early on in the contest, recording two quick shots from junior forward Caren Nelson at the 3:00 mark and junior forward Liz Keester with 5:36 on the clock. The Sooner offense quieted for the rest of the first half but picked up in the second period and two overtimes, posting 14 shots in the three frames.

The Sooners were aggressive late in the match but could not get a shot past Furman senior goalkeeper Rose Hull, who tallied nine saves on the night. OU’s Stade finished with a pair of saves.

“Our perseverance and endeavor to get back into the game after conceding a disappointing goal bodes well for the future,” head coach Matt Potter said. “Credit Furman for winning. We received a great lesson on how to close out a game. These things can happen early in a season, and we look forward to the response of the group on Sunday.”

The Sooners will wrap up their weekend on Sunday, Aug. 23 with a 6 p.m. CT match at No. 11 South Carolina inside Stone Stadium in Columbia, S.C.