Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 21, 2017) – Soccer games between Oklahoma Christian and Newman (Kan.) traditionally have been close, hard-fought affairs, and it was no different Thursday night at the Eagle Soccer Field.

OC's Sebastian Capkovic scored in the 19th minute and the Eagles rode that goal the rest of the way for a 1-0 win over the Jets, giving OC an early leg up in the Heartland Conference North Division race.

OC (3-3, 1-2 Heartland) snapped a three-game losing skid while recording its first league win of the season against a divisional foe. OC will play its three divisional rivals – Newman, Rogers State and Midwestern State (Texas) twice each and the other eight Heartland squads once.

Newman (2-4-1, 0-3) now has lost three straight. Of the nine games between the Jets and Eagles since OC joined the Heartland with the 2012 season, none have been decided by more than one goal, with OC holding a slight 5-3-1 advantage during that time.

"They're tough games, but they're fun," OC coach David Scott. "It's always a battle. They're clean but hard-fought. This was a fun game and a great night for us."

The game bogged down in the midfield for much of the first 30 minutes, but OC took advantage of its one scoring opportunity. Landon Pope, from the left side of the field, slotted a pass through two Newman defenders to Capkovic, setting Capkovic up for a one-on-one showdown with goalkeeper Chase Bowman. Capkovic won that battle, scoring on an 18-yard shot.

OC's Anthony Buchanan almost made it 2-0 in the 35th minute, but shot just wide left of the goal after beating Bowman.

"We were struggling a little bit early," Scott said. "Then Landon got a little bit of space on the wing and slotted a pass through to Sebastian and he had a great finish."

Newman eventually outshot OC 10-8, but didn't manage a shot until the 33rd minute while going against an 18-mph wind. With the wind in the second half, the Jets were more dangerous offensively, but OC goalkeeper Gianluca Marchetti proved up to the task.

Marchetti made seven saves, and the one time he wasn't in position to do so, Capkovic cleared a dangerous loose ball off the goal line in the 80th minute.

"Credit to the guys," Scott said. "We hammered all this week, after the tough results on the road (last week), to stay focused and battle for 90 minutes and not switching off on set plays. Tonight was a challenge. They had some big boys but our guys stuck to it and did what we needed to do to grind things out."

Bowman finished with two saves for Newman.

The Eagles will host another North Division opponent, Rogers State, at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

David Scott discusses the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UTjYP0fhE8&feature=youtu.be