Baylor women’s soccer starts off conference play hot, beating OSU 2-1

Baylor graduate student goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt sets up for a goal kick against OSU. Wandt received her 49th career win tying her for most all-time. Photo courtesy of Baylor Athletics

By Michael Haag | Sports Writer

Baylor women’s soccer (5-2-3, 1-0-0) defeated Oklahoma State University (5-4-1, 0-1-0) by a score of 2-1 Thursday night in Stillwater, Okla. The Bears start off conference play 1-0, and are looking to keep the train rolling throughout the rest of the season.

Baylor got on the board first in the 29th minute, when senior forward Taylor Moon scored from a distance into the bottom left corner of the goal for her second goal this season. Sophomore forward Mackenzie Anthony led Moon with the pass, recording her second assist of the year. The Bears kept a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

OSU would tie the score up in the second half in the 64th minute when the Cowgirls found themselves with an open opportunity. OSU’s junior forward Olyvia Dowell was hit in stride with a pass from fifth-year senior defender Charme Morgan. Dowell had a clean shot which left graduate student goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt frozen with no chance to block it, making the game 1-1.

The score would not remain tied for long, as in the 72nd minute, Wandt set up for a free-kick. She would send a kick near the box, where freshman defender Lorelai Stramrood hit a header up in the air. Sophomore forward Olivia Mack was waiting in the perfect spot, as she fired a shot into the top right corner of the goal taking the lead 2-1. This was Mack’s first goal of the season, and Wandt was also credited with an assist, for the third of her career.

The remaining time of the second half saw Baylor make some great saves and play some clutch defense to finish with a 2-1 victory. Baylor had six out of 10 shots on goal.

Wandt would finish this game with four saves, one assist and her 49th career win, tying her with first place for most wins in Baylor history. Head coach Paul Jobson was most proud of the way the team dealt with their first Big 12 game of the season.

“I was really proud of how our team handled themselves tonight to open Big 12 play on the road,” Jobson said. “The road is never an easy place to get wins and they handled it like a bunch of veterans.”

Up next, Baylor will play another road game against Texas Christian University (8-1-0, 1-0-0) at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Fort Worth. Baylor is 13-4-5 in its history against TCU, dating back to 1986.

Michael Haag is a third year Journalism student from Floresville, a small town about 30 miles south of San Antonio. Haag is entering his third year at the Lariat and is hoping to continue developing his sports reporting skill set. After graduation, he plans to work on a Master’s degree in Journalism in order to one day teach at the college level. He does, however, plan on becoming a sports reporter for a publication after grad school.