At times, watching a Texas A&M soccer game can be more frustrating than entertaining.
Opposing teams, especially when they visit the Aggie Soccer Stadium, pack all 11 players behind the ball and hope for a favorable result. Favorable as in a 0-0 draw, or perhaps if they can counter once, a 1-1 result. They are playing not to lose and hoping to escape with a tie.
Shot attempts by Aggies are blocked by any number of players in the penalty box, while the coach of the opposing team hopes his goalkeeper can stand on her head between the pipes.
On the rare occasion that strategy works it makes for a slower game that has the Aggie fans hoping a deflection will go their way rather than just outside the post, over the crossbar or into the goalkeeper's waiting arms.
That will not be a problem on Friday night when the Oklahoma State Cowgirls come to town.
No. 12 OSU (9-0-1, 1-0-1 Big 12) comes into its match against the four-time defending Big 12 champion Aggies (8-1-1, 1-0-1) leading the nation in scoring. The Cowgirls attack from everywhere, evident by the 25 shots they average per match and their 13 different players that have found the back of the net in 10 games.
They also have stars, with four players scoring at least five goals. Yolanda Odenyo leads the Big 12 with nine goals, two better than anyone else.
The Cowgirls average four goals a match and have yet to be shut out. Only Colorado, in OSU's most recent match, has held the Cowgirls to two or fewer goals. That match ended in a 1-1 draw, the only non-victory for OSU this season.
Colorado used the theory that the best defense is a good offense, becoming the first opponent to outshoot the Cowgirls this year.
So if that's the approach the Aggies take in Friday night's game, that could go a long way in deciding the Big 12 champion and should make for some entertaining soccer.
A&M has held three of its last four opponents, two of which were ranked, without a goal.
A young backline, which often includes three freshmen, has grown up quickly in front of sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Dyer, who has been a godsend for the Aggies after preseason all-Big 12 selection Kristin Arnold was injured in the Aggies' loss to North Carolina.
Those freshmen, along with junior Emily Peterson, and an experienced midfield will be tested. That should make for some good end-to-end soccer.
No matter the result on the field, the fans will certainly be winners.
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NOTES -- OSU and A&M tied 2-2 in a rare spring exhibition game among conference foes last April at the Aggie Soccer Stadium. ... Dyer was named the national player of the week by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for her two shutouts last weekend. ... A&M's last Big 12 regular season loss at home was to Iowa State in 2005. A&M outshot ISU 25-3 and lost 1-0 on a last-second goal.
• Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.
TEXAS A&M SOCCER
What: No. 12 Oklahoma State (9-0-1, 1-0-1) at No. 7 Texas A&M (8-1-1, 1-0-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday
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