Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Freshman Natalie Thomas, who had OC's only shot on goal vs. UCO, outduels the Bronchos' Casey Herndon for the ball during Thursday's game.
Freshman Natalie Thomas, who had OC's only shot on goal vs. UCO, outduels the Bronchos' Casey Herndon for the ball during Thursday's game.
2
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO (1-0)
0
Oklahoma Christian OC (0-1)
Winner
Central Oklahoma UCO
(1-0)
2
Final
0
Oklahoma Christian OC
(0-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 2 0 2
Oklahoma Christian OC 0 0 0

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Defense tough in 2-0 loss to strong UCO squad

OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 30, 2018) – No way is Oklahoma Christian women's soccer coach Meagan Anderson satisfied with a 2-0 loss like her team suffered Thursday, but her respect for Central Oklahoma's program is so great that she wasn't too unhappy.

OC hung with a consistently strong NCAA Division II foe all the way, blanking the Bronchos in the second half on a hot, steamy day at the Eagle Soccer Field. The Lady Eagles struggled to generate offense throughout, but even so, the result was their best against the Bronchos since a 1-0 loss in 2009 and was considerably closer than a 5-1 loss at UCO last season.

"Tonight, even though a loss, was a positive result for us," Anderson said. "Not that I want my team to play for a 2-0 loss, but it's that we didn't succumb to defeat. We put ourselves in a position to score a couple of different times and that's good.

"UCO is a very good team with multiple runs at titles and NCAA tournament berths. We approached this game as a game of opportunity, moreso for ourselves than others. We were productive in areas in which we were unproductive in the past. The girls encouraged their teammates to want to get a result."

Central Oklahoma outshot OC 22-3 and peppered goalkeeper Addison Milner early, forcing her to make a handful of her eight saves in the early going. The Bronchos finally broke through in the 19th minute, when a cross from Taryn Kedzior found Katie Killion and Killion converted from five yards out for her 24th career goal.

Piper Cannon made it 2-0 for UCO in the 35th minute, scoring off an assist from Kaylee Collins. But that was it for the Bronchos' offense as the OC back line held them off over the final 55 minutes.

"We pushed back when they were pounding on our doorstep for a bit in the second half," Anderson said. "We are down two (goals) but we were continuing to push forward. The girls approached the second half with a different demeanor. We were more poised defensively and played into our strengths more offensively. We didn't see that type of demeanor out of our team last year. I see the girls buying into the process and that is exciting."

OC's three shots came from Dakota Milner, Natalie Thomas and Darrian Palacios, and Thomas forced UCO goalkeeper Kelsi Gibson to make her only save of the game in the 50th minute.

The Lady Eagles will host archrival Southern Nazarene at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Print Friendly Version