Weber State women's soccer: Wildcats fall on the road to Tulsa

TULSA, Okla. — A disastrous opening 15 minutes proved too difficult for the Weber State University women's soccer team to overcome in its 2012 season opener.

Tulsa's Rebecca Handley scored twice early, and Claire Nicholson added a goal in the sixth minute as the Golden Hurricanes claimed a 3-0 win over Weber State on Friday night at Hurricane Stadium.

The Wildcats (0-1-0) struggled to get scoring chances the opening half-hour, with Tulsa recording the first five shots of the match.

Nicholson put Tulsa (1-0-0) up early, hitting a crossing shot from the left side to the right bottom corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead. Just two minutes later, the Hurricanes made it 2-0 after Rebecca Handley hit an eight-yard shot, and then Handley tapped home a rebound shot off a corner kick to make it 3-0 in the 16th minute.

Freshman forward Mackenzie Harrison recorded Weber State's first shot of the night in the 30th minute, but it was blocked, and junior Alyssa Amano's follow-up shot was saved by Tulsa's goalkeeper. Harrison was one of eight freshmen who made their Purple and White debut on Friday night.

Tulsa finished the night with an 11-10 shots advantage, and a 6-3 advantage in shots on frame.

Weber State remains on the road through Sunday, with the Wildcats set to travel to Stillwater, Okla., to face No. 5 Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The Cowgirls defeated UMKC 1-0 on Friday night to claim their season opener.