LUBBOCK, Texas (Sept. 22, 2021) – A defensive battle for 110 minutes of play ended in a 0-0 draw for Oklahoma Christian against Lubbock Christian (Texas) on Wednesday night at the LCU Soccer Field in the Lone Star Conference opener for both teams.
 
In the words of OC coach Evan Dresel, the match was "awesome."
 
The scoreless tie marks OC's first result against LCU since Oct. 8, 2016, when the Eagles tied the Chaparrals 3-3 at the Eagle Soccer Field in Oklahoma City, and only their second overall. With the result, the Eagles snapped a five-match losing streak against LCU.
 
OC (0-3-1, 0-0-1 LSC) scored their first goal of the season against Northwestern in their last match and followed it up with a strong defensive effort against Lubbock Christian (3-0-2, 0-0-1), showing signs of positive improvement in the early portion of the 2021 season.
 
Prior to the match Wednesday, LCU had scored in all four of their matches this season, but they were unable to find the net in an impressive defensive stand from the Eagles. OC's defense, led by sophomores Brooklyn Fink and Jordan Freidenbloom, held a stalwart back line, pulling the Chaparrals offside four times and limiting them to only four shots on goal and 14 overall. OC had six shots (four on goal).
 
OC sophomore goalkeeper Gabby Goddard recorded her third career shutout, the most recent one being Nov. 9, 2019, against Texas A&M-Commerce. She finished the match with four saves.
 
In the eighth minute, freshman Gracie Cornelius saw the first look on goal for either team, narrowly missing the net and hitting the hands of the Chaparrals' goalkeeper, senior Hannah Wise. The Eagles would not have another shot on goal until after halftime when freshman Reagan Keiser struck the ball in the box off a corner kick.
 
The final chance to score in the second half belonged to the Eagles. In the final 10 seconds of regulation, freshman Kyla Lovelace controlled the ball in the box and shot toward the center of the net, but Wise saved it. Wise finished with four saves.
 
Lovelace's shot helped kick-start the momentum for the Eagles going into the first overtime, during which the Eagles allowed no shots. Then, in the golden-goal situation, freshman Perla Beltran almost won the match with a beautiful shot, but it careened over the goal. LCU tipped the momentum in their favor in the second overtime, recording four shots, but not scoring.
 
The shutout and draw represented a total team effort from the Eagles' bench, as Dresel used 21 players.
 
"I'm so proud of them," Dresel said. "Our first half was the best half we've played all year. The rest of the game was back and forth, but we battled to get an important point on the road."
 
The Eagles will return home to face LSC opponent Texas-Tyler on Saturday at 4 p.m.