USC shows firepower against Oklahoma
After struggling to convert on scoring opportunities during the first weeks of the season, the No. 25 Women of Troy came away with their biggest scoring output of the season with a convincing 4-1 defeat over the Oklahoma Sooners Friday afternoon at McAlister Field.
“[Our offense] is coming along and we put away the opportunities we created,” said USC coach Ali Khosroshahin.
Freshman midfielder Autumn Altamirano gave the Women of Troy some momentum with USC’s first goal in the 39th minute of the first half.
Control - Senior forward Alyssa Dàvila contributed a goal to USC’s 4-1 victory over Oklahoma to keep the team’s winning streak alive. - Aditya Tannu | Daily Trojan
“I think the offense is clicking now, but we still can do a lot better,” Altamirano said. “We can definitely pick it up and keep improving.”
In the second half, the Women of Troy carried the momentum from Altamirano’s goal and created plenty scoring opportunities, continually putting pressure on the Oklahoma defense.
Senior midfielder Alyssa Dávila started off the scoring in the second half after receiving a pass from Altamirano and driving a shot toward the right post and past the goalkeeper in the 57th minute.
This gave the Women of Troy a two-goal cushion, but it wasn’t long before the offense struck again.
Fifteen minutes later, senior forward/midfielder Megan Ohai placed the ball through the Oklahoma defense and found freshman forward/midfielder Elizabeth Eddy streaking down the right sideline. Eddy knocked in her first career collegiate goal in the 73rd minute.
“We’re starting to finish our chances now, which is a great thing,” Eddy said. “We’ve been [creating] a lot of opportunities lately and as long as we keep that up and keep working off the ball, we should be [fine].”
Another freshman joined in to cap off the score for USC. This time it was freshman midfielder Haley Boysen, who knocked in her second goal of the year off a pass from Eddy in the 75th minute to make it a 4-0 game.
In what has become almost expected for the defense, the backline for the Women of Troy almost shut down another opponent, although Oklahoma managed to score in the 83rd minute to end USC’s hopes of another shutout.
Led by senior defender Karter Haug, the defense has allowed only two goals in its last five contests, posting three shutouts in that span as well.
“[Freshman goalkeeper] Shelby [Church] has done a great job, but you’ve got a backline that is playing really well and keeping the [opponent’s] opportunities to a minimum,” Khosroshahin said.