Sophomore Domenico DeGrazia had five shots for OC in a 4-1 loss at Mid-America Christian.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 28, 2012) – Just looking at the game statistics without knowing the final score, one might surmise Oklahoma Christian fared well in its men's soccer season opener on Tuesday at Mid-America Christian.
OC outshot the Evangels 24-12, posted a 6-0 advantage on corner kicks and controlled the action about 70 percent of the time. But the Eagles didn't finish their chances and MACU took advantage of its limited scoring opportunities to roll to a surprisingly easy 4-1 win.
It was the first win ever for MACU (2-0) in six meetings against OC (0-1) and it left OC coach David Scott befuddled.
"We were very impatient on our possessions and we had some definite breakdowns in the back defensively," Scott said. "We were unorganized in the back and that led to some opportunities for them and that was the difference in the game."
Raphael Bonell scored MACU's first two goals. He put the Evangels up 1-0 in the 22nd minute, scoring off the deflection after OC goalkeeper Tim Spencer saved a shot by Brett Brown. The Evangels went up 2-0 in the 39th minute on Bonell's second goal, which came after he was left unmarked.
Still, OC seemed to be in the game until the final minute of the half, when Brian Armstrong looped a header over Spencer and into the net to put MACU ahead 3-0.
The Eagles came out after halftime and put pressure on MACU goalkeeper Tyler McIntosh, but he made three of his 10 saves during the first 14 minutes of the half. Duncan Mbugua essentially clinched the match for the Evangels with a goal in the 63rd minute.
OC's only goal came in the 86th minute, as freshman Taylor Vanderford scored on a 20-yard free kick after a MACU foul just outside the penalty box.
Spencer finished with five saves. Sophomore Domenico DeGrazia and freshman Ricardo Chinchilla led OC with five shots each.
It will be 12 days before the Eagles get a chance to return to action on Sept. 9 at home against Incarnate Word (Texas).
"Things have to improve," Scott said. "We have to be sharper. We have to demand more from ourselves."
