OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 14, 2017) – A rough start to the game put Oklahoma Christian in a hole early and the Lady Eagles never recovered, losing 4-0 to Dallas Baptist (Texas) on Thursday night at the Eagle Soccer Field.
Heartland Conference power Dallas Baptist (3-2, 1-1 Heartland) scored in the first and eighth minutes and rode that advantage the rest of the way, although OC (1-4, 0-2) hung in and created a couple of scoring opportunities in the final minutes.
"DBU is a great team," OC coach Meagan Anderson said. "They were well-organized. Every player knew what they were doing. … I thought our girls played with a good game plan. We were better defensively from top to bottom. We pressed higher up the field and made them turn the ball over a couple of times. But when you allow a goal less than a minute into the game and then you give up another off of a corner and another off a set piece, those are the things that we have to do better with."
In the opening seconds, OC goalkeeper Addison Milner went to the ground while deflecting a cross by the Patriots and Lindsey Washburn was there to tap the ball into the open net for DBU. In the eighth minute assisted on another tap-in goal, by McKenna Namken.
DBU outshot OC 26-5, including 12-0 in the first half. The Patriots took a 3-0 lead in the 70th minute, when Kaci Parks knocked in a ball that was pinging around deep in the penalty box following a corner kick, and Summerlyn Heller volleyed home a long free kick by Parks in the 78th minute.
OC's first shot didn't come until the 56th minute, but the Lady Eagles had two solid chances late. In the 81st minute, DBU goalkeeper Hope Koym deflected a strong shot from about 14 yards out by Darrian Palacios off the crossbar, then saved a close-in shot by Dakota Milner moments later.
The Lady Eagles also threatened against DBU's backup goalkeeper, Grace Johnson, as Palacios forced her to make a save in the 85th minute.
"We were able to get a good run of play going a couple of different times," Anderson said. "We had some really good opportunities. We hustled down the field. … Those are the type of opportunities that we haven't been able to develop. Seeing that we can develop those type of opportunities against competition like this, that says a little bit about what we're able to do."
Addison Milner made 10 saves, matching the most saves in a game by a Heartland goalkeeper this season. Milner now has the three top single-game save totals in the league.
"Addy made some great saves tonight and she kept us in the game a little bit longer than we probably should have been," Anderson said. "That's what we expect of her. She's stepped into a big role and she's done a very good job at it."
The Lady Eagles will host the Heartland's other annual soccer powerhouse, No. 5-ranked St. Edward's (Texas), on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Meagan Anderson discusses the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLy2JhXZrMw&feature=youtu.be
Highlights of Addison Milner's 10-save performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF0yQpsSgNI&feature=youtu.be
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