Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 20, 2016) – Oklahoma Christian didn't go down without a fight against No. 8-ranked St. Edward's (Texas) on Thursday night.

OC became only the fifth team this season – and the first in six games – to score on the Hilltoppers and nearly made things interesting late, but St. Edward's held on for a 3-1 win at the Eagle Soccer Field.

St. Edward's (11-1-1, 10-0-1 Heartland Conference) edged ever closer to the regular-season league title, while OC (4-9-2, 2-7-2) officially was eliminated from postseason contention. But the gap between the teams isn't as big as people think, OC coach Randall Robison said.

"Overall, our girls did a good job sticking to our game plan," Robison said. "St. Edward's is a very good team and we knew we would need at be our best to compete with them. For the most part, we did that tonight. A couple of individual mistakes put us in a tough spot in the first half. We responded well later in the game and showed some character.

"This team is close; we have to stay committed for the full 90 minutes. With our young roster, we can certainly build on things if we can learn that individual battles often determine the result."

The Hilltoppers outshot OC 21-5 and held OC without a shot until the 36th minute, allowing them time to build a 2-0 lead. Whytneigh Duffie scored on an 18-yard volley in the 16th minute, and Sabrina Cone headed in a corner kick by Mackenzie Cherniuk in the 35th minute for the Hilltoppers' second goal.

Toni Tewes put St. Edward's up 3-0 in the 55th minute, winning the ball from a defender and hitting a 20-yard rocket past OC goalkeeper Carina Schanz. The Hilltoppers then decided to clear their bench, but OC wasn't through competing.

The Lady Eagles won a free kick from about 50 yards out in the 69th minute. Courtney Hernandez sent the long kick into the penalty box, where freshman Jen Atherton emerged from a scramble to head the ball past St. Edward's backup goalkeeper, Annabel Sweeney, into the goal. It was the first time since Sept. 24, when Newman (Kan.) did so, that an opponent had scored against St. Edward's.

OC almost pulled even closer in the 80th minute. Sweeney battled OC midfielder Rubi Villegas Aguilar for a ball in the penalty box and appeared to pull her down while knocking the ball out of bounds, giving OC a corner kick.

Lauren Parker took the corner kick and Michell Fuentes got off a shot, forcing Sweeney to make the save, and a defender blocked Villegas Aguilar's follow shot before the Hilltoppers cleared the ball out of danger. That proved to be OC's final scoring chance.

Sweeney made one save in 30½ minutes in goal for St. Edward's, while starter Lorrie Santoy didn't face a shot on goal in her 59½ minutes. Schanz had six saves for OC.

OC will wrap up its home season at 1 p.m. on Saturday against Dallas Baptist (Texas). Seniors Amanda Cooper and Sophia Brazil will be honored before the game during the annual Senior Day ceremony.