Overtime Thriller

10/30/2009 6:35:14 PM

Katelyn Cropp

Game Statistics
Photo Gallery

EDMOND (Oct. 30) – Katelyn Cropp scored on a close-range goal with 1:17 remaining in the second overtime to lift Central Oklahoma to a thrilling 1-0 Lone Star Conference victory over Texas A&M-Commerce Friday afternoon at Wantland Stadium.

Cropp's winner from 15 feet away just got past the A&M-C goalkeeper to end nearly 120 minutes of scoreless suspense and kept the Bronchos in the driver's seat for the regular season league title.

UCO improved to 13-5-1 overall and 7-2 in the LSC while dropping the Lions to 10-6-1 and 5-3-1. The Bronchos lead the conference with 21 points and can wrap up the crown with a win in Sunday's finale against Texas Woman's.

Game-time for that contest is 1 p.m. at Wantland Stadium as UCO looks to nail down its seventh league title since 2000 and the right to host next week's LSC Tournament.

“We kept fighting and pulled out a great, great win,” head coach Mike Cook said. “We made some big plays on defense to keep them out and then Katelyn came through at the end. Now we just have to take care of business Sunday.”

The Bronchos outshot A&M-C 18-14, including 9-5 in shots on goal, but needed three huge defensive stops to keep the Lions out of the net.

A&M-C's first scoring opportunity came in the final seconds of the first half when a free kick from 30 yards away bounced off the top post and went directly to Heather Cavey 10 feet in front of the goal, but UCO goalkeeper Megan Riley was able to punch Cavey's shot off the top post to maintain the scoreless tie.

Riley made another great play with 16 minutes left in regulation when she came out to challenge Meagan Lasley – the league's leading scorer with 14 goals -- on a breakaway and smothered Lasley's shot for the save.

And then, midway through the first overtime, Lasley again got an open look at the goal only to have Alli Miller block it and Riley dive on it to keep the Bronchos alive.

UCO had its own scoring chances, including a couple of hard-hit shots by Beth Helm in the final 25 minutes of regulation and two corner kick tries in the last minute of the first overtime that didn't work out.

Neither team did much in the second OT until Summer Grantham dribbled through the A&M-C defense and found Cropp, who continued on before knocking in the game-winner to send the UCO bench steaming onto the field in celebration.

Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories