On the heels of a scoreless first half, Wayland Baptist and Oklahoma City turned in a wildly entertaining second half of Sooner Athletic Conference women's soccer action Saturday afternoon at Hilliard Field. Unfortunately for the Pioneers, the Stars wound up on top, 3-2, to put a damper on WBU's Senior Day.
"You always hate to lose a game on Senior Day, and I would have enjoyed a 'W,' but that takes nothing from the effort and leadership that these ladies have shown," Wayland coach
Shiloh Posey said after the Pioneers and Stars combined for five goals in less than 21 frenetic minutes.
In what could have been Wayland's last home match of the season, OCU's Hailey Terrell notched the first goal in the 68
th minute following a free kick from just outside the penalty box that deflected off WBU goalkeeper
Maci Merket.
It took the Pioneers just 73 seconds to respond, however, as freshman
Aryial Garcia produced her second goal of the season with assistance from two seniors. The goal came shortly after a corner kick by
Estefany Gonzalez and a pass from
Megan Attenborough.
Next, OCU's top goal scorer on the season, 5-foot-4 sophomore Madi Caputo, pushed two goals across, the first a rocket shot from 25 yards out to the upper-right of the goal then, with just si a gimme into a wide open box after the ball got away from Merket at the top of the penalty box. The goals were Caputo's 10
th and 11
th of the season.
The Pioneers didn't blink, though, and less than a minute later Attenborough, after her initial attempt hit off the crossbar, immediately followed it up for her sixth goal of the season.
With 5½ minutes to play, the Pioneers were unable to get off another shot, and they dropped their third straight.
"I was glad to see the rebound mentality after the game Tuesday (a 4-1 loss to Southwestern Christian)," Posey said. "I felt like we had a sense of urgency and tried to make some things happen on the offensive end. We can always improve on our execution and speed of play, but I was pleased with the overall effort today."
OCU took 13 shots, one more than Wayland. Attenborough led the Pioneers with four shots.
Wayland ends the regular-season with two road games against two of the three teams tied for first place in Texas Wesleyan (11-4, 6-1) and No. 10 Science & Arts of Oklahoma (15-1, 6-1). The Pioneers first meet Texas Wesleyan at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Rams knocked off No. 6 John Brown (11-3-1, 6-1) at home on Thursday, 2-1. WBU wraps the regular-season Nov. 2 in Chickasha, Okla., against USAO, which rolled over Central Christian in Kansas on Saturday, 8-1.
Wayland stands in seventh place in the SAC standings.
"We have another opportunity to get back on a positive track at Texas Wesleyan, but it will be a battle, just as it's always been," Posey said. "We are going to have to play a very solid game on both sides of the ball. I believe that if we do the things we need to do, and do them well, we will give ourselves the opportunity to succeed.
"Not giving our best effort is not an option."
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