Offense Clicks in Bison Triumph

Box Score (xml)
 
SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist Men's Soccer proved tough to defend as four different Bison fired home on Thursday night in Great American Conference action. The Bison dropped Harding, 4-2, in both squads' conference-opening contest.
 
Shots were hard to come by from the outset, as the match saw only two shots in the first 25 minutes of action, both in favor of the visitors from Harding. However, Jonathan Martinez managed to create some room for a shot in the 31st minute, and though his effort clanged off the crossbar, fellow forward Thiago Dos Santos was there to collect the rebound and put it home for a 1-0 Bison lead.
 
Harding almost immediately equalized, but the shot caromed off the post in the 35th minute. Jesus Andrade was able to get one final shot off for OBU in the half, but it was blocked, and the Bison went into the locker room nursing a 1-0 lead.
 
The Bison stampeded out the gates upon the restart, as Martinez picked up his second assist of the night. He picked his head up long enough to find Matthew Giudice, who placed his shot from 15 yards out where two-time reigning GAC Goalkeeper of the Week Michael Wasson couldn't save it, doubling OBU's advantage in the 47th minute.
 
Harding's defense was sent reeling soon after, as Koleson Freeman slid a silky pass to Vicente Castillo between the lines. The precision pass froze Wasson, and Castillo was able to finish off his league-leading sixth goal of the season to put OBU in the ascendancy, 3-0, in the 57th minute.
 
Castillo would pay back Freeman's effort in the 64th minute as the captain helped the freshman open up his account on Bison Hill and put the Bison up 4-0.
 
Two quick cautions picked up by Michael Stewart in the 69th minute gave Harding a slim lifeline as OBU had to play the final 21 minutes man-down. That man-advantage turned into goals in the 83rd and 88th minute, but the Bison had all the cushion they needed to see out the match as 4-2 winners.
 
Despite six goals between the two sides, there were only 19 shots in the match, and OBU was outshot 10-9. Thomas Ackernecht got the start in goal, earning his first career win.
 
Oklahoma Baptist (3-4-1, 1-0 GAC) resume league play on Saturday, Sept. 24 when it takes on Ouachita at 3 p.m. in a rematch of last season's GAC Tournament Final.