JBU women fall 2-0 at Oklahoma Wesleyan

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — After controlling the contest for the first 20 minutes, the field began to tilt and remained that way as the No. 13 John Brown University women’s soccer team fell 2-0 at No. 9 Oklahoma Wesleyan on Tuesday, Sept. 13, inside the OKWU Soccer Complex.

The host Eagles (5-0-0) tallied a goal in each half, in the 35th and 73rd minutes, sending the Golden Eagles (3-2-0) to its fourth-consecutive loss in Bartlesville.

The Golden Eagles pushed the envelope and pinned the hosts into their own end for the first 20 minutes of play. It was a fluke Tania Mocholi goal that broke the scoreless tie in the 35th minute when a volley shot from the right side of the box broke over senior Chloe Griffin and just under the crossbar to hand OKWU a 1-0 lead.

The final five minutes of the first half was all John Brown. Three shots from junior Ryan Winingham produced three different results during the span, most importantly a header attempt in the box off a Renny Buchanan corner service that rattled the crossbar in the 43rd minute.

That would be the last John Brown shot attempt until the 86th minute, however, as the host Eagles commanded possession in the second half. Joelle Meister’s insurance goal from Laura Maria in the 73rd minute gave OKWU all the cushion it needed to remain undefeated on the season.

Winingham accounted for five of John Brown’s nine shot attempts, but Wesleyan held the advantage in shots (21-9) and corner kicks (9-4). Griffin made a career-high nine saves as she dropped to 3-2-0 on the season between the sticks.

JBU was scheduled to host Columbia (Mo.) on Tuesday, Sept. 20. Results were not available at presstime.

The Golden Eagles host William Woods on Saturday, Sept. 24, before opening Sooner Athletic Conference play at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Sept. 28.