TCU Falls In Overtime Heartbreaker On Saturday

Saturday, October 10

Fort Worth, Texas

7:00 PM

TCU

8-6-0

Wyoming

9-4-2

Team	1	2	OT 2	Final F
Wyoming	1	0	1	2
TCU	0	1	0	1

TCU Falls In Overtime Heartbreaker On Saturday

10/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Oct. 10, 2009

BOX SCORE

FORT WORTH, Texas - Chelsea Cody sent the game into overtime in the 89th minute of the match, but it wasn't enough as Wyoming recorded a 2-1 overtime victory Saturday night in front of 1,380 spectators at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.

With little time remaining on the clock, it appeared as if TCU would fall in regulation to the Cowgirls on Saturday night, but in the 89th minute Kaylie Garcia flicked the ball over a Cowgirl defender to a streaking Cody who placed the ball into the back of the net to send the match into overtime. The goal was Cody's first career goal.

Both teams had several chances during the overtime period, but Nicole Rice took a deflection at the midfield and dribbled the ball down the field, placing it over the outstretched arms of Kelsey Walters for the win.

"This was a tough loss today, but give all the credit to Wyoming because they continued to battle and put our backs under a lot of pressure which caused us to make some mistakes," said head coach Dan Abdalla. "I am proud of the way our team came out today. We will be better off if we can continue to do that. We just have to get sharper in the final thirds on both sides. We kept good possession tonight, but need to be more aggressive and sharper in our attacking."

In a back-and-fourth contest that saw both teams squander chances to score, TCU outshot the Cowgirls, 18-14, including 11-2 in second half. Garcia and Jackie Torda led the TCU offense with four shots, while Lizzy Karoly posted three shots.

Torda tried to jumpstart the Horned Frogs two minutes into the contest, but watched as her shot from outside the box was saved by Wyoming goalkeeper Courtney Merkle.

Nikki Wilbur appeared to have given TCU a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute of the match, but her header off a cross from Alex Mechalske flew high over the goal.

Following a shot by Torda, the Cowgirls' got on the board off an own goal, scoring inside the box off a free kick by Emma Wilson in the 37th minute.

TCU came out of halftime firing on all cylinders as Karoly received a pass from Michelle Nguyen, but Merkle came up with a huge save to keep the score at 1-0 in favor of the Cowgirls.

Midway through the half, Nguyen got into the offensive attack again off a cross from Garcia, but her shot from the left side sailed high over the goal. A few moments later, sophomore Jenna Hayes tried to connect on a header from inside the box, but Merkle came up with another huge save to keep the Cowgirls in front late into the contest.

Following Hayes' header in the 67th minute, Torda and Cody both fired shots, but couldn't crack the scoring column. Cody, a junior from Oklahoma City, Okla., rocketed the ball in the 68th minute from about 30 yards out, but it just missed going into the top-half of the goal.

In the 77th minute, Katie Runyon took a cross from Torda just outside the box, but just missed putting the ball into the back of the net.

Karoly and Garcia tried to rally TCU in the 80th minute, but couldn't tie the game at 1-1.

TCU continued its relentless pressure late into the match as Garcia and Cody both fired shots. Cody's goal in the last minute of regulation tied the game at 1-1 to force overtime.

Mechalske tried to secure the win in the lone overtime, but watched as her shot sailed wide of the net. In the 99th minute, Rice took a deflection off a TCU player and sprinted down the middle of the field for the game-winner.

Walters, who came up with several key saves in the game, including one late in regulation, had a solid night for the Frogs, stopping five shots. Merkle posted four saves in the contest, while facing relentless pressure from a TCU offense during the second half.

With the loss, TCU moved to 8-6-0 overall and 1-2-0 in the conference. Wyoming improved to 9-4-2 overall and 3-0-0 in the MWC.

TCU will continue action on Oct. 15 at Utah. Start time is set for 8 p.m. CT.