Box Score BETHANY, Okla. (Oct. 22, 2015) – It's said previous results can be ignored in rivalry games, and sure enough, that happened when Southern Nazarene hosted Oklahoma Christian on a wet Thursday night on soggy Wes Harmon Field.
An SNU soccer team with little to play for but pride fell behind early, rallied with two goals in the final 27 minutes and held off a late charge by the Eagles to prevail 2-1 in the 2015 meeting of the teams that have played at least once in every season but one since OC began its program in 1986.
SNU (3-11) knocked off OC (8-7) for the second straight season in what would have to be considered upset fashion, considering the teams' records entering the game. The loss capped a five-game road stretch during which the Eagles went 2-3.
The good news is OC will play its final three games at home, starting Saturday against Heartland Conference contender Rogers State. The Eagles will be looking to regain the momentum that saw them rise as high as No. 6 in the NCAA Division II South Central Region rankings three weeks ago before falling out this week.
With rain falling and turning the field into a soggy mess, OC seized the lead less than seven minutes into the game.
Troy Tippeconnic crossed the ball from the right side to
Ante Susic, whose shot into the bottom left corner of the goal beat SNU goalkeeper Jeff Ray. It was Susic's team-leading sixth goal of the season.
The Eagles rode that lead into the second half before SNU – which had the advantage of a stiff north wind at its back after halftime – got on the board. Keegan Radichel's free kick from about 45 yards out found Jared Rangel deep inside the penalty box and Rangel's strong shot tied the game in the 64th minute.
In the 74th minute, Tommy Fiszel took a pass from Ismael Fernandez and shot from the top of the box, beating OC goalkeeper
Evan Helker to put the Crimson Storm ahead.
OC had several chances to tie the game in the final minutes. The best came in the 88th minute, when
Seth Brown had his point-blank shot from six yards out blocked by Ray, who finished with eight saves.
Helker recorded 11 saves for OC, just one off of his career high. SNU finished with a slight 18-17 advantage in shots.
After the Rogers State game, OC will host nonconference foe Eastern New Mexico next Thursday before closing the regular season against league foe Newman (Kan.) on Oct. 31.
