SEARCY, Ark. – Oklahoma Baptist (6-7-2, 5-2-2 GAC) inched closer to the top of the Great American Conference standings following its 3-1 win at Harding on Wednesday. Paired with a tie between Southern Nazarene and Ouachita, the Bison sit in second place and are just two points behind Ouachita.
This coming Saturday, the green and gold will face off with Ouachita in Arkadelphia.
Key Leaders
- Olivia Kenas took one shot, and it resulted in her second goal of 2023.
- Jadynn Daggs added a goal, her first of the year.
- Alanna Bloomingdale notched the team's third goal of the game. She has four this fall.
- Annabelle Joski shot a team-high four times.
- Sophia Ziesemer continued her strong recent play providing an assist.
- Kaylee Swaner added another helper as well moving her career point total to 40. Only five Bison have ever reached that mark.
- Senior keeper Mia Pendleton had some big saves and ended up with five on the day.
What Went Right
- OBU out-shot Harding 14-9, something that didn't happen in the match back on Oct. 7.
- Within the game's first 12 minutes, the Bison provided real pressure on Harding keeper Maysa Willis with four shots. Two of those were solid attempts from Swaner and Hali White.
- Ziesemer and Kenas teamed up in the 34th minute. The freshman passed to a streaking Kenas along the left side and the junior fired to the upper-right corner for a 1-0 lead.
- Harding threatened with a pair of shot attempts on goal early in the second half. However, Pendleton denied both Gabie Eddins' and Caitlann Potter's shots.
- After those two attempts in the 49th and 51st minutes, the Bison defense only allowed one the rest of the way.
- Back-to-back goals. Within a span of roughly 3:30 minutes, the Bison struck twice. Daggs fired around the 18 into the lower-right corner, pushing OBU ahead 2-1. Then, Bloomingdale was in the right place at the right time as HU goalie Michaela Potter's clearance from inside the 18 ricocheted off OBU's senior forward back into the net.
What Went Wrong
- The Bison defense in the 44th minute was not able to contain HU's leading scorer Whitney Thomas. As she did in the Oct. 7 match, she scored another goal, her fifth of the season. This time, she navigated around two or three Bison defenders from the right side of the 18 and shot into the lower portion of the goal.
On The Horizon
- A first-place match is on the line come Oct. 28 at Ouachita. A Bison win would move them into the GAC lead with two regular-season matches remaining.
