DALLAS (Sept. 21, 2019) – Jesus Garcia scored on a deflection in the first minute of the second half to put Oklahoma Christian ahead and goalkeeper Anthony Trabichet made the lead stand up, helping the Eagles escape the Patriot Soccer Field with a 2-1 win over Dallas Baptist (Texas) on Saturday night.

OC (3-2) snapped a two-game skid while posting its first road win since a 1-0 decision at DBU last Oct. 4. The Eagles and Patriots both moved from the Heartland Conference into the Lone Star Conference for this men's soccer season, but played the game as a nonconference contest, with the league contest set for Nov. 7 in Oklahoma City.

In the fast-paced game, Dallas Baptist (2-3) posted a narrow 13-12 edge in shots, with 11 of the Patriots' shots coming in the second half, forcing Trabichet – a sophomore from Thonon-les-Bains, France – to make six of his seven saves.

OC took the lead for the first time in the 21st minute. Garcia, a junior from Madrid, Spain, drew a foul about 40 yards out from the goal, setting up a free kick by Diego Garcia. Garcia's free kick found the head of 6-foot-7 Thomas van der Meulen, who leapt over DBU goalkeeper Tristan Olvera to head the ball into the goal. It was the third goal of the season for van der Meulen, a redshirt freshman from Grou, Netherlands.

The Patriots tied the game in the 40th minute. David Velazquez's pass to Brandon Torres drew Trabichet off his line and Torres took advantage, slotting the ball into the open goal.

OC went ahead ahead in the 46th minute. Garcia, slicing into the box from the left side, sent what looked like a cross that deflected off the shoulder of Dallas Baptist defender Aaron Proulx and into the goal.

Trabichet's brilliant second half kept the Eagles ahead, along with a heads-up play in the 60th minute by D'Waylan McIntosh, who cleared a shot by DBU forward Ethan Martinez off the line after Trabichet had moved out of his box to defend against another attacker.

The Patriots' last good chance came in the 90th minute, when Trabichet stymied David Trevizo by coming out to make a sliding kick save on a shot from just inside the penalty box.

Olvera made five saves for Dallas Baptist.

The Eagles will open Lone Star Conference play next Saturday at No. 8-ranked Midwestern State (Texas), part of a four-game road stretch that also will include games at LSC foes Texas-Permian Basin on Oct. 3 and Lubbock Christian (Texas) on Oct. 5. OC's next home game will be against another new LSC member, Texas-Tyler, on Oct. 12.