Texas soccer fell 2-0 to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in a scrappy match in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Friday night.

The Cowgirls were hoping to bounce back from two consecutive losses, while the Longhorns were coming off of a two-game win streak. With the season nearing an end, both teams looked to keep their Big 12 title hopes alive by coming out with a win.

Oklahoma State jumped to a hot start when senior defender Charmé Morgan found sophomore midfielder Olyvia Dowell for a goal in the 11th minute of the match. 

Soon after, Dowell had another opportunity to widen the early lead with a free kick after a frustration foul from Texas junior forward Mackenzie McFarland resulted in a yellow card. Dowell was unable to convert, and the score remained 1-0.

Oklahoma State was dominant early, but Texas matched the Cowgirls’ aggression. The Longhorns hosted a number of runs that ultimately resulted in their 6-to-4 shot advantage at the half, but they were unable to convert any of them.

A great look from senior outside back Emma Regan in the 36th minute nearly tied the game, but it went wide right.

While much more aggressive in the back end of the first half, the Longhorns still couldn’t find any cracks in the Oklahoma State defense.

The first half foreshadowed what would turn out to be a defensive chess match. The team that makes the correct offensive adjustments going into halftime would be the one to come out with a win.

Texas started much faster in the second half than it did in the first, looking more assertive on the offensive end.

In the 52nd minute, the Longhorns were within three yards of netting their first goal but failed to convert yet again.

The Cowgirls, however, found the back of the net soon after when junior midfielder Grace Yochum scored in the 59th minute.

With the score sitting at 2-0, Texas was faced with immense amounts of pressure. In the 64th minute, junior middle Julia Grosso launched a strike down the middle, which  Oklahoma State senior goalkeeper Emily Plotz denied. Plotz was outstanding for the night, tallying five saves.

The final 20 minutes of play were identical to the first 70; the Longhorns were unable to find a crease in their opponent’s defense. The Cowgirls were unable to score a third goal, but the Longhorns never found their first.

With a final score of 2-0, Texas fell to a 3–4 record on the season and will look to respond in a crucial match against Baylor next week.