Tulsa’s Offense Thrives in 5-2 Victory over Central Arkansas

Friday, August 16

Tulsa, Okla.

10:00 a.m.

Tulsa

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Central Arkansas

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Central Ark.	1	1	2
Tulsa	1	4	5

Photo by: Bill Powell

Tulsa’s Offense Thrives in 5-2 Victory over Central Arkansas

8/16/2024 1:31:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

TULSA, Okla. — After postponing the season opener due to lightning Thursday night, the Tulsa women's soccer team started the new year with a bang as the Golden Hurricane pummeled the Central Arkansas Bears 5-2 Friday morning at the Hurricane Soccer Stadium.

The Hurricane offense was humming, especially in the second half, where four TU players found the net. Tulsa found many openings throughout the game, recording 21 total shots and 14 shots on goal before the final buzzer.

Junior goalkeeper Tatum Sanders spent all 90 minutes in the box for TU and saved the ball five times. Tulsa's defense, led by defenders Cicely-Ann Spencer-Wickham, Brenna Rowlett and Madison Williams, allowed only eight shots on the day.

In her Hurricane debut, Hannah Chance, a redshirt junior transfer from Oklahoma State, punched in two goals on the day, one in each half. The forward also contributed an assist to end her day with five total points.

Other Hurricane scorers included sophomore forwards Kaylyn Simmons and Leah Diaz, along with true freshman forward Blaine Schutte, who all scored in the second half. Chance's opening goal and Schutte's goal in the closing seconds of the match each had two assisters, while Simmons' and Diaz's goals were set up by Chance and junior forward Jordan Frederick, respectively. Teamwork was a key contributor to the Hurricane's season-opening success.

"We have selflessness on this team, both on the field and off the field," Head Coach Jim Rhein said. "We have players come in and ask how they can help or what they can to do contribute in all aspects of the game. We have players that have completely bought into what we're trying to do."

How it Happened
Tulsa came out the gate swinging with a goal in the fifth minute by Oklahoma State transfer forward Hannah Chance, who put the ball in the upper right corner of the net. Leah Diaz punched the ball forward to Kaylyn Simmons, who set up the opening score

Central Arkansas equalized the score when Sophia Backstrom nudged the ball into the lower left corner off an assist from Anna Kerr.

The teams entered halftime at 1-1. Tulsa had 10 shots, seven on goal, while Central Arkansas put forth two shots on goal out of three total. The Bears' Lenja Kenstel had six saves to Tatum Sanders' one.

Right after the break, the Hurricane took back the lead for good with a sliding kick by Kaylyn Simmons in the 47th minute. Hannah Chance took the ball halfway down the field before passing to Simmons for the goal.

Later on, in the 53rd minute of the game, Jordan Frederick took the ball down the right side of the field and found an open Leah Diaz in the box, who knocked it in for Tulsa's third goal of the day.

Although Central Arkansas got away with a goal 1:30 later (54th minute), Tulsa kept its foot on the gas with two more goals to close out the contest. Hannah Chance netted a goal at 58:21 from deep center field for her second score of the game, and true freshman Blaine Schutte got her name on the board in the 89th minute of regulation off a beautifully set-up ball by Jordan Frederick and Aniya Facen. The final score was 5-2 Tulsa.

Game Notes

Hannah Chance moved her career goal total to nine after sending two past the poles for Tulsa.
Kaylyn Simmons got her first goal of the season and fourth in her career.
Leah Diaz now has five career goals after earning one in Friday's season opener.
True freshman Blaine Schutte got her first career goal at the 88:36 mark to close out the game.
Tatum Sanders logged all 90 minutes in the net for Tulsa … she had five total saves.
Tulsa had 21 shots and 14 shots on goal, while the Bears had eight shots and seven on goal.
TU reached double-figure shots in each half (10 in the 1^st; 11 in the 2^nd)
Five Hurricane players combined for six assists on the five goals scored by TU.
The Bears had eight corner kicks to Tulsa's six.
The teams engaged in multiple water breaks as the heat on the field exceeded 95 degrees.

Scoring Summary
Tulsa 1 4 - 5
UCA 1 1 - 2

Individual Scoring
Hannah Chance (Tulsa) at 4:40 (Kaylyn Simmons; Leah Diaz)
Sophia Backstrom (UCA) at 12:37 (Anna Kerr)
Kaylyn Simmons (Tulsa) at 46:16 (Hannah Chance)
Leah Diaz (Tulsa) at 52:29 (Jordan Frederick)
Anna Kerr (UCA) at 53:56 (Kelly Van Gundy)
Hannah Chance (Tulsa) at 58:21
Blaine Schutte (Tulsa) at 88:36 (Jordan Frederick; Aniya Facen)

Goalkeeper Saves
Tatum Sanders (Tulsa) – 5
Lenja Kenstel (UCA) – 9