Houghton’s Four Goal First Half Not Enough to Defeat Oklahoma Baptist
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Highlanders four goals in the first half were not enough to stop the barrage of scoring coming from the Bison of Oklahoma Baptist University. The Highlanders fell to the Bison 4-7 in their first game in group play in the NCCAA National Tournament. The loss takes the Highlanders to 0-1 in group play and to 11-6-4 on the season. The win takes the Bison to 1-1 in group play and 14-8-2 on the season.
Game Vitals
- Score: Houghton College - 4 | Oklahoma Baptist University – 7
- Records: Houghton College: 11-6-4 | Oklahoma Baptist University: 14-8-2
- Venue: Austin-Tindall Soccer Complex, Kissimmee, Fla.
Key Moments:
>> Early in the first half the Bison got on the scoreboard first when a Bison forward received the ball in the corner of the Highlanders 18 yard box and hit a nice shot into the bottom right corner of the Highlanders goal.
>> The Highlanders answered back with a goal of their own when freshman
Jeremy Newswanger knocked in a goal when the ball came to him during a scrum in the Bison 18 yard box off a free kick.
>> The Bison regained the lead when a Bison forward received a through ball near the Highlander 18 yard box and ripped a shot into the upper left corner of the goal past the charging Highlander goalkeeper.
>> The Highlanders tied things back up midway through the first half when senior
Tyler Ashley put in a goal off a cross sent in by sophomore
Andrew Bussey.
>> The Highlanders took the lead later in the first half when sophomore
Andrew Bussey broke free from the Bison defense to slot a shot into the bottom right corner of the goal out of the reach of the Bison goalkeeper.
>>The first half goes kept coming for Houghton when, late in the first half, sophomore
Ben Lawrence served up a beautiful cross to senior
Mitch Beattie who headed home a goal to take the Highlanders lead to 4-2.
>> The second half was all Bison scoring five unanswered goals. Bison Forward Thiago Dos Santos scored three of the five Bison goals in the second half, with two of them coming while the Bison were a man down after receiving a red card in the 68
th minute.
Key Stats:
>> The Bison had the just edged out the Highlanders in shots 20 to 17.
>> The Highlanders had the upper hand in corner kicks three to one.
Coaches Corner:
"Just got tactically beat in the second half. We knew they were going to play direct to #14 (Thiago Dos Santos) and we couldn't deny the service. We have the opportunity to play again tomorrow…..time to regroup." – Head Coach
Matthew Webb
Next Time Out:
The Highlanders play their second game of group play tomorrow November 30 at 3:30 p.m. against Bethel College at the Austin-Tindall Soccer Complex in Kissimmee, Florida.