Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 4, 2014) – It was somewhat of a new look for Oklahoma Christian's women's soccer team in its season opener against Oklahoma City University, with three freshman starters and a couple of returnees who didn't see much action in 2013.
OC's newcomers showed flashes of potential that should bode well for the rest of the season, but the Lady Eagles, who historically have struggled against their rivals from across town, did so again Thursday as longtime NAIA power OCU rolled to a 4-0 win at Eagle Soccer Field.
When OC began the NCAA Division II membership process, OCU opted to remain in the NAIA, which means the Stars can begin their season earlier than is allowed by the NCAA. Thus OCU (3-0) looked like a more polished squad than OC (0-1) as the Stars improved to 27-9-2 all-time against the Lady Eagles.
Freshmen
Carley Cooley,
Sydni Wiles and
Chelsea Key all started for OC and five other first-year players saw playing time for the Lady Eagles. Freshmen recorded six of OC's nine shots, including four by reserve
Madeline Roseke and one each by
Madison Brinkman and Wiles.
OCU finished with 17 shots and most of them were quality scoring opportunities. The results could have been more lopsided had OC goalkeeper
Lindsey Williams not made seven saves.
The Stars went up 1-0 in the 10th minute, with Vanessa Mendoza scoring off a feed from Carissa Turang. In the 25th minute, Allison Worsham scored the first of her two goals and OCU made it 3-0 on Britani Soesbee's unassisted goal in the 59th minute.
Worsham's second goal came in the 78th minute, off an assist from Keren Sharabi.
OC's offense picked up noticeably after halftime and the Lady Eagles had a handful of good scoring chances. OCU goalkeeper Ashley Bechtold, who had six saves, smothered a shot by Wiles in the 52nd minute. Bechtold fisted a 20-yard shot by Roseke just over the crossbar in the 65th minute and a free kick by OC's
Estefania Bermudez Delgado in the 74th minute sailed just over the goal.
The Lady Eagles will return to action Saturday against another longtime local rival, hosting Southern Nazarene at 6 p.m.
