Tulsa Women’s Soccer Season Ends in 4-2 Loss to No. 1 Memphis in the AAC Quarterfinals

Monday, November 4

Lakewood Ranch, Fla. • Premier Sports Campus

6:30 p.m.

Tulsa

7-9-4, 3-5-2

#19 Memphis

12-1-4, 6-0-4

Tulsa

Memphis

Photo by: American Athletic Conference

Tulsa Women’s Soccer Season Ends in 4-2 Loss to No. 1 Memphis in the AAC Quarterfinals

11/4/2024 10:16:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — Although the eighth-seeded Golden Hurricane women's soccer team scored twice against the stingiest defense in the American Athletic Conference, it wasn't enough to push TU past the country's 19th-ranked squad and No. 1 seed Memphis Tigers as Tulsa fell in a 4-2 decision in the quarterfinals of The American Championship. Tulsa ended the year with a 7-9-4 record, while the 12-1-4 Tigers advanced to the semifinals where they'll take on No. 4 Rice.

It was an offensive game as both teams scored multiple goals throughout the contest. Tulsa benefitted from skillful scores from freshman forward Kaleigh Hart and all-conference sophomore forward Leah Diaz.

Diaz's goal just after the second half began in the 48th minute gave Tulsa a brief 2-1 lead that lasted seven minutes and 31 seconds until Memphis' offense kicked into next gear, three consecutive goals in a span of over nine minutes. After the Tigers went up 4-2 in the 65th minute, it was too much to overcome for a Hurricane squad that gave everything they had.

How it Happened
The game started much like the regular season finale on Thursday with Memphis attacking early, recording back-to-back shots on goal in the third minute, both saved by GK Tatum Sanders.

The Tigers struck first in the 21st minute when Anna Hauer sent the ball into the lower right corner of the TU net with her right foot after welcoming a chain of smart passes from Elise Perron and Momo Nakao.

TU then retaliated with a 35th-minute goal from true freshman F Kaleigh Hart, who found an opening to shoot after coming up with the ball during a corner kick. She lasered in the ball from outside the left corner of the penalty area to equalize the match at 1-1 going into halftime.

At the half, Tulsa recorded five shots (two on goal), four saves by Sanders and three corner kicks, while Memphis had nine shots, including five shots on goal, one save and one corner.

Tulsa gained its first and only lead of the night at the 48th-minute mark when the Hurricane's leading point scorer F Leah Diaz sent in her eighth goal of the season from beyond the box off a pass from F Hannah Chance. Diaz rocketed the ball on an unstoppable arc into the upper left quadrant of the goal with her right foot to make it a 2-1 ballgame in favor of the Hurricane.

The lead was unfortunately short-lived as Memphis rattled off three unanswered goals in the 55th, 57th and 65th minutes, all from different Tiger attackers.

After the Tigers went up by two, 25 minutes was not enough time for the Hurricane to mount a comeback as the Memphis defense tightened its grip when it mattered most. The final score read 4-2 as time expired.

Game Notes

Tulsa falls to 0-4 in the American Athletic Conference Championship and 3-14-4 in the all-time series with Memphis.
F Kaleigh Hart, a true freshman, scored her third goal of the season.
F Leah Diaz recorded her eighth goal of the year and 12th of her career.
Diaz finishes the season as the Hurricane's leading point scorer with 22 points off eight goals and six assists.
Tatum Sanders started in goal with tied her career-high of 11 saves … she finishes 5-8-4 on the year.
Memphis shot the ball 24 times and 15 times at the net, while Tulsa had 11 shots and four shots on goal.
Each team had five corner kicks at the final buzzer.

Scoring Summary
Tulsa 1 1 - 2
Memphis 1 3 - 4

Individual Scoring
Anna Hauer (Memphis) at 20:26 (Elise Perron, Momo Nakao)
Kaleigh Hart (Tulsa) at 34:44 (unassisted)
Leah Diaz (Tulsa) at 47:06 (Hannah Chance)
Elise Perron (Memphis) at 54:47 (unassisted)
Ashley Henderson (Memphis) at 56:35 (Ai Kitagawa)
Momo Nakao (Memphis) at 64:02 (Anna Hauer)

Saves
Tatum Sanders (Tulsa) – 11
Kaylie Bierman (Memphis) – 2