by Will Chamblee | Sports Writer
Baylor soccer finally kicked its road woes in its last away game of the season, capturing a thrilling 2-1 victory over Oklahoma on Saturday thanks to a late goal by senior midfielder Ally Henderson. The win moved Baylor to 5-5-3 overall.
The Bears had struggled all season on the road, going 0-3-1 during its first four away games of the season, with their lone draw coming against Big 12 bottom-feeder Texas Tech. But junior forward Taylor Moon and Henderson were able to break the streak and lead Baylor to a hard-fought away victory.
“I was really proud of our girls today,” Baylor head coach Paul Jobson said. “[Oklahoma] played weak defensively which led to a ton of offensive opportunities. We scored two fantastic goals as well.”
Baylor came out strong in the first period, keeping Oklahoma trapped in their own half and firing shots at goal. The Bears outshot the Sooners 12-4 in the first half and had five corner kicks to Oklahoma’s three. Despite the pressure, Baylor was unable to produce the finishing product and the two teams went into the half knotted at 0-0.
Jobson’s halftime adjustments seemed to have an immediate effect, as Baylor was able to find the back of the net only 10 minutes into the second half. Moon continued her hot streak, scoring her fourth goal of the spring. The junior has been the Bears’ main attacking outlet this spring, leading the team in shots and shots on goal.
Oklahoma would strike back, however. Despite having little of the ball, Sooners forward Bri Amos capitalized on a defensive mistake from Baylor and slotted the ball past senior goalkeeper Jen Wandt to even things up at 1-1 with 15 minutes remaining in the game.
Things looked bleak for Baylor’s chances of getting their first road victory, but veteran leader Henderson scored the winning goal with six minutes left. Only her fourth goal as a Bear, Henderson scored a screamer from 20-yards out to hand Baylor the victory.
“I was most proud of the poise and determination they had after the OU goal,” Jobson said. “It was an attitude that set them up well for the win.”
Baylor will finish its season next Saturday against Texas Tech at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field.
