Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 6, 2014) – Progress sometimes comes in small steps when you're building a program and Oklahoma Christian took a few of those steps on Monday afternoon against Heartland Conference power St. Edward's (Texas).

After not scoring in three games against the Hilltoppers the past two years, OC got on the scoreboard thanks to a successful penalty kick by Estefania Bermudez Delgado. The Lady Eagles took seven shots after being held without a shot against St. Edward's a year earlier.

St. Edward's, an NCAA Division II quarterfinalist last season, won 5-1, but the Hilltoppers knew they'd been in a game.

"Those that watched the game know that our girls have improved a lot," OC coach Randall Robison said. "The last couple of weeks, they've really progressed. I think it's unfortunate timing that we're playing three really tough teams … Hopefully we can take the little successes we had on the field today against a team like St. Ed's and maybe that can carry on till we get a little bit deeper in the season.

"I think the second half was maybe the best second half we've seen all season. The girls fought all 90 minutes. That's something we've really challenged them with the last couple of weeks – can we fight, battle and compete for the entire game? I think they did that today."

St. Edward's (6-4, 2-0 Heartland) never trailed, taking advantage of some misfortune for OC (0-10-1, 0-1) to take the lead in the fifth minute. OC goalkeeper Lindsey Williams managed to save a strong shot by Valencia Mobley, but the ball caromed off an OC defender and into the net for an own goal.

The Hilltoppers led 2-0 in the 17th minute after the first of two goals by Gracen Jacks, who also had an assist. But St. Edward's, unlike the past two years, wasn't able to maintain its goal-scoring rate thanks in good part to a solid OC defense.

Jacks assisted on a goal by Alyssa Conde in the 60th minute that made it 3-0 and the Hilltoppers went up 4-0 in the 65th minute when Lauren Heller took a long pass from Megan Anderson and beat Williams.

The Lady Eagles kept pushing, though, to earn themselves two good scoring chances. In the 70th minute, Madeline Roseke's free kick from just outside the penalty box required a terrific save from St. Edward's goalkeeper Samatha Dier.

That resulted in a corner kick, taken by Roseke, and in the scramble for possession following that kick, a St. Edward's defender pulled down Roseke in the penalty box, resulting in a penalty kick. Bermudez Delgado coolly converted, giving OC its first goal in six games.

"Those type of things – getting a foul at the top of the box, getting the PK – those are things that happen when you're being proactive in the final third of the field and you're trying to go at teams and you're trying to make things happen," Robison said. "Those are things that we struggled with earlier in the year. It comes back to effort and the girls have the effort now. They have the work ethic."

Jacks finished the scoring in the 86th minute, scoring off an assist by Riana Soobadoo.

The Hilltoppers outshot OC 27-7. Williams made six saves for the Lady Eagles. The starting goalkeeper for St. Edward's, Lorrie Santoy, made one save while Dier had two saves in relief.

OC will return to action next Monday, hosting another conference power, Dallas Baptist (Texas) at noon.