OKLAHOMA CITY (March 17, 2021) – With winds gusting at 40 mph at her back, Oklahoma Christian's Ellise Foreman took a chance on ripping a shot from well outside the penalty box in the 20th minute on Wednesday against Midwestern State (Texas).

The risk paid off, as the ball sailed into the goal to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead they would hold until the end of the nonconference match, giving them their first win of the spring-semester season on an otherwise dreary day at the Eagle Soccer Field, with a game-time temperature of 41 degrees and a gray sky spitting rain to go with the wind.

The win might not count in the Lone Star Conference standings for either OC (1-6) or Midwestern State (1-4), but that didn't seem to matter to the victorious OC squad.

"It's a wonderful win for our team," OC coach Meagan Anderson said. "The girls have worked so hard to close gaps and improve as a team each time on the field. Today we proved that we are on the right track. Even in less-than-ideal conditions, we played start to finish. I'm proud our team! The grit and determination to always be learning and adapting played huge for us tonight."

Midwestern State outshot the Eagles 25-6 and the Mustangs scored first – on their second shot – when Emma Baley scored from near the six-yard box in the seventh minute. But sophomore Gabby Goddard played lockdown defense after that, finishing with a career-high 17 saves – the most in a game by an OC goalkeeper since Lindsey Williams had 18 in a loss to Central Oklahoma on Sept. 9, 2014.

Less than a minute after Baley's goal, the Eagles – who had the wind at their backs in the first half – earned a corner kick, which senior Brianna Concienne delivered and freshman Gracie Cornelius converted into the tying goal – the first goal of her collegiate career.

In the 20th minute, Concienne sent a short pass to Foreman, who took advantage of that wind, using it to propel the ball past Midwestern State goalkeeper Taylor Camp. It was Foreman's second goal of the season and Concienne's third assist.

The Mustangs kept the pressure on throughout the second half, when they had the wind at their backs, but Goddard proved up to the task, recording 10 saves. Midwestern State had three corner kicks in the 87th minute but the Eagles were able to successfully defend each one. The Mustangs' final scoring chance came in the 90th minute, but Goddard saved a shot by Alyssa Salinas.

Camp finished with three saves for the Mustangs.

On Saturday, Midwestern State will host the Eagles in a rematch that will count in the LSC standings.