Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 21, 2015) – Oklahoma Christian was the team with the thin bench, but as the Eagles' game against Oklahoma Baptist progressed on Monday, it was OC that seemed to be energized the longer the game went on.
The Eagles scored three goals in the final 20 minutes, turning a tight match into a 4-0 runaway over the Bison on a humid night at the Eagle Soccer Field. It was the second straight shutout for OC (4-2) following a 1-0 upset of Northeastern State on Saturday.
"It's got to be a group effort," OC coach
David Scott said. "It's going to take everybody to do it. They have bought in to the fact that it may not be pretty, but if you put the effort in, you'll get the results."
Cody Cook,
Cody McLemore,
Sergio Flores and
Ante Susic each scored a goal for OC, which hadn't faced OBU (1-6) since 2011, when the schools both were members of the NAIA and the Sooner Athletic Conference. OC is now a full NCAA Division II member and resides in the Heartland Conference, while OBU is in the second year of the Division II membership process and plays in the Great American Conference. But it's still a rivalry, as the Eagles' level of attention to detail indicated.
"The local rivalries have gone away a little bit with the change in conference and move to Division II, but it's nice to get (OBU) back in and then always nice to get a result against them," Scott said.
With only 14 available field players – and thus only three available subs – Scott knew the Eagles would have to pace themselves, absorb OBU's pressure and look for ways to counterattack. OC implemented that strategy almost flawlessly, even as the Bison outshot the Eagles 20-12.
OC goalkeeper
Evan Helker recorded six saves and was helped greatly by his defensive back line. Most times when the Bison threatened, one of the Eagles' defenders –
Clay Collier,
Sergio Flores,
Nijee Cooper and
Braydan Castrop – were there to clear away the ball.
"They have played big the last two games," Scott said. "It's not easy to get clean sheets in back-to-back games, especially against the two teams we've done that against. They played big.
Braydan Castrop stepped in for us back there and did a great job. Taylor (Vanderford) played back there for a bit. Nijee and Sergio both had big games and Daniel (Bolin) came in late to kind of help close things out.
"We were very solid across the back. We gave up 20 shots, but of those, not too many were quality chances."
Cook gave OC an early lead, curling a free kick low, around a wall of Bison and past goalkeeper Truman Berghall in the 10th minute. For the next hour of playing time, the Eagles sat on the lead and milked the clock. Then came a counterattack opportunity in the 72nd minute, and after Cook's shot banged off the right post, McLemore collected the rebound and scored to make it 2-0.
That opened the floodgates. Susic and Flores combined on a give-and-go in the 78th minute, with Flores tapping in from 10 yards out. In the 86th minute, Susic used a nifty move to free himself and put home an easy shot, also from 10 yards out.
"Kind of through the middle of the game, I think our legs got a little bit tired," Scott said. "We did a good job soaking up pressure and making it through that. Once we got the second goal, I think it kind of energized us and their level dropped off a little bit. That allowed us to close the game out."
Berghall finished with two saves for Oklahoma Baptist.
OC will return to action Friday at 4 p.m., when they host Heartland Conference rival Texas A&M International in what will be a nonconference game for both squads. The Eagles then will play at NAIA opponent Sterling (Kan.) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55OHo3apFrM&feature=youtu.be
