By Will Chamblee | Sports Writer
For the third time this season, Baylor women’s soccer drew 0-0, this time against fourth-ranked Oklahoma State after taking the game to double overtime.
Senior goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt, who now possesses the Baylor record for most career shutouts with 29, said the Bears weren’t fazed by the extra periods, as they have gone to overtime in every game they’ve played this season.
“When the whistle blew for us to go to overtime, it didn’t faze us,” Wandt said. “We were ready to continue being strong and having no mental lapses.”
Baylor head coach Paul Jobson said he was proud of his team, especially defensively and isn’t worried about the offense, who has only scored one goal this season.
“To hold one of the strongest teams in our conference and in the country to no goals is a great accomplishment,” Jobson said. “Things just aren’t falling our way when it comes to the attack, but what I like is the girls are continuing to attack and they’re not freaking out about not scoring. That’s a good place to be.”
Baylor started the game aggressively, as a pair of shots from freshman forward Mackenzie Anthony and freshman midfielder Sarah Hornyak were placed on goal.
Oklahoma State answered in similar fashion, forcing junior defensive and two-time Big 12 Player of the Week Kayley Ables to make an acrobatic clearance with 19 minutes left in the first half.
Baylor led the game with four shots on target at the first half, with Oklahoma State only hitting one shot on target.
Jobson thought that while his team failed to win, he thought his team was able to muster up the better of the chances.
“I really felt like we had the better of the opportunities,” Jobson said. “There were some scrums in the box that I felt could have gone either way.”
Oklahoma State came roaring back in the second half, pressuring Baylor’s defense. Wandt came to the rescue with 43 minutes left in the half, saving a pair of well-placed shots by the Cowgirls.
Sophomore defender Tara Sumer, who filled in for senior defender Sarah Norman, had a heroic performance in her first start of the season, playing all 110 minutes of the game.
Sophomore forward Elizabeth Kooiman also missed tonight, but Jobson felt like the replacements did a great job filling in for the starters.
“The girls who played some different roles and played some more minutes than normal were ready,” Jobson said. “They stepped into those roles and I thought did really well.”
Hornyak had the chance of the game with just three minutes left in the second half, as her powerful shot from the edge of the box slammed off the crossbar.
Neither team was able to conjure up any chances in the two overtime periods, as both teams locked the other down defensively.
With the draw, Baylor moves to 0-1-3 on the season and has yet to win a game. Jobson said while their record isn’t ideal, he’s happy with how the team is progressing.
“Four games in with three points is not really where you want to be, necessarily, when you’re vying for a title,” Jobson said. “Defensively we’re where we want to be and offensively, we’re on the right track. I’m really happy with where we’re going.”
Baylor’s next game will be against Kansas at 7 p.m. next Friday at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
