November 10, 2006
The SMU Mustangs used goals in the fourth and 82nd minute to defeat McNeese State, 2-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championships at Texas A&M's Aggie Soccer Stadium.
SMU (17-4-1) outshot the Cowgirls 18-5 in the match and will advance to Sunday's second-round contest against either Texas A&M or Grambling State at 1:30 p.m.
The Mustangs took the lead just four minutes into the match when Olivia O'Rear beat McNeese keeper Shelby Money. The assist was credited to Kim Peabody.
MSU did not register a shot in the first half, posting all five of their shots in the second frame. However, SMU iced the game when Susanne Collins beat Money from point-blank range to make the score 2-0. Marisa Scheida earned the assist.
McNeese State, champions of the Southland Conference Tournament who were making their first ever NCAA tournament appearance, end their season at 10-7-1.
SMU Postgame Quotes
#9 OLIVIA O'REAR: "It felt great to, in the first round, get the first goal and get them going. It feels great. They (McNeese) did come out with a lot of intensity and we respect that."
COACH JOHN COSSABOON: "I have a lot of respect for the passion and the intensity they (McNeese) played with. We've scored some good goals this year. Other teams have elected to play more defensive minded. It makes it a different kind of game. They (McNeese) put us in a lul and that's to their credit. We have to enjoy [the win] tomorrow, but we have to watch and see A&M tonight. I think we have to basically bring our absolutely best game to battle with one of the best teams in the country."
McNeese State Postgame Quotes
#22 KAMRYN KOCH: "The defensive intensity level had to be high and it was. We knew they were going to come at us hard and we had to keep ourselves from getting down early, which we did but we came back and we fought hard."
COACH SCOOTER SAVOIE: "(Olivia) O'Rear did a good job at getting herself in. She had a clean shot. It's something that put us under the gun a little early. But I think at the same time, we didn't let it rattle us. The girls came back and played with a lot of poise and played with the game plan. I think going into halftime 1-0 after giving up one early was definitely important for us.
"Even though we didn't have any shots (in the first half) we did create some opportunities to give us a chance to score. We said the biggest thing we needed to do when we stepped on the field in the second half is step up and play with confidence and step up and take this game right back to them. They responded to that, they never once got down on themselves. This team truly earned their way to this spot. We had a chance to win it, even though the shot total looks different because that's the way we managed the game."