AggieJohn
11-07-2005, 09:06 AM
Soccer: Aggies capture Big 12 tournament title in double OT
Web Posted: 11/07/2005 12:00 AM CST
David King
Express-News Staff Writer
Suzette Devloo, just in the game off the Texas A&M bench, was convinced the ball was coming to her in the middle of the field.
"Every time Laura Probst gets the ball, I know she gets it to the middle," Devloo said. "I got to the penalty mark and more or less just waited."
And she did indeed get the ball — and she shot it past Colorado goalie Kirstin Radlinski for the winning goal 38 seconds into the second overtime as the Aggies took a 2-1 victory in the Big 12 Soccer Championship on Sunday at Blossom Soccer Stadium.
The victory gave A&M the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The field will be announced at 4p.m. today on ESPN News.
Devloo — who had the winning goal when the Aggies beat the Buffaloes 2-1 during the regular season — was one of eight substitutes for A&M. The Aggies' depth paid off on a hot, sunny day.
"They used their depth to their advantage, which is what you're supposed to do," Colorado coach Bill Hempen said.
"This is the first time we've had to play three games in five days. It's tough, but it's tough on both teams, because they had to play the same three and none of them were easy."
Especially the final, which was played in front of 2,563.
"All these people paid good money to see this game," A&M coach G. Guerrieri said. "We wanted to put on a good show."
The Aggies took a 1-0 lead at the 22:43 mark of the first half when Kat Krambeer and Melissa Garey played 2-on-1 from 20 yards out. Garey took a perfect pass from Krambeer and scored from 15 yards away.
A&M controlled much of the game, but the Buffaloes rallied to tie it with 26:20 left in the second half. Laura Munnelly lofted a kick from 45 yards out, and Alexis Cousins was able to redirect it with her head into the net.
It was the first goal of Cousins' career.
Both teams had chances to score in the first 10-minute overtime, but the Aggies quickly took control in the second OT.
Just moments into the period, the Aggies worked the ball free, and Probst controlled to Radlinski's right. Probst got the ball to the middle of the field, and Devloo put it in the net for her third goal of the season.
"Suzette is just an animal," Guerrieri said. "No one puts more on the ball in that situation."
Guerrieri said he decided to be more aggressive in overtime, and the Aggies had three solid scoring chances in the first extra period, then controlled the brief second OT. After two extra periods, the game would have been decided on penalty kicks.
"We came here to win, not to go for penalty kicks," said Guerrieri, whose team won its fourth tournament title and second in a row. "We wanted to go after the win on the field."
Texas A&M's Ashlee Pistorius was named the tournament's offensive most valuable player, and the Aggies' Paige Carmichael was the defensive MVP.
Web Posted: 11/07/2005 12:00 AM CST
David King
Express-News Staff Writer
Suzette Devloo, just in the game off the Texas A&M bench, was convinced the ball was coming to her in the middle of the field.
"Every time Laura Probst gets the ball, I know she gets it to the middle," Devloo said. "I got to the penalty mark and more or less just waited."
And she did indeed get the ball — and she shot it past Colorado goalie Kirstin Radlinski for the winning goal 38 seconds into the second overtime as the Aggies took a 2-1 victory in the Big 12 Soccer Championship on Sunday at Blossom Soccer Stadium.
The victory gave A&M the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The field will be announced at 4p.m. today on ESPN News.
Devloo — who had the winning goal when the Aggies beat the Buffaloes 2-1 during the regular season — was one of eight substitutes for A&M. The Aggies' depth paid off on a hot, sunny day.
"They used their depth to their advantage, which is what you're supposed to do," Colorado coach Bill Hempen said.
"This is the first time we've had to play three games in five days. It's tough, but it's tough on both teams, because they had to play the same three and none of them were easy."
Especially the final, which was played in front of 2,563.
"All these people paid good money to see this game," A&M coach G. Guerrieri said. "We wanted to put on a good show."
The Aggies took a 1-0 lead at the 22:43 mark of the first half when Kat Krambeer and Melissa Garey played 2-on-1 from 20 yards out. Garey took a perfect pass from Krambeer and scored from 15 yards away.
A&M controlled much of the game, but the Buffaloes rallied to tie it with 26:20 left in the second half. Laura Munnelly lofted a kick from 45 yards out, and Alexis Cousins was able to redirect it with her head into the net.
It was the first goal of Cousins' career.
Both teams had chances to score in the first 10-minute overtime, but the Aggies quickly took control in the second OT.
Just moments into the period, the Aggies worked the ball free, and Probst controlled to Radlinski's right. Probst got the ball to the middle of the field, and Devloo put it in the net for her third goal of the season.
"Suzette is just an animal," Guerrieri said. "No one puts more on the ball in that situation."
Guerrieri said he decided to be more aggressive in overtime, and the Aggies had three solid scoring chances in the first extra period, then controlled the brief second OT. After two extra periods, the game would have been decided on penalty kicks.
"We came here to win, not to go for penalty kicks," said Guerrieri, whose team won its fourth tournament title and second in a row. "We wanted to go after the win on the field."
Texas A&M's Ashlee Pistorius was named the tournament's offensive most valuable player, and the Aggies' Paige Carmichael was the defensive MVP.