OBU Sports
SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist won the first game against an NCAA opponent in program history Saturday, defeating Adams State 7-6 at the OBU Lacrosse Complex.
Seven different players scored for OBU as the team also captured the inaugural Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win in their first year of competition in the league.
“The team showed a ton of tenacity, a ton of fight to get the win today,” said head coach Jordan Beech.
After the Grizzlies (0-6, 0-4 RMAC) scored the opening goal of the game, the Lady (3-7, 1-5 RMAC) Bison used a 5-0 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. Stellar defensive play marked the stretch that lasted over 28 minutes without surrendering another goal.
Paige Morrison scored the equalizer on an assist from Breanna Wichert with 8:19 remaining in the first half. Lauren McCormack broke the 1-1 tie late in the first half to give the Lady Bison a 2-1 advantage at intermission.
Wichert picked up her second assist of the game less than two minutes after the break, finding Allison Ingrim for her third goal in the last two games. Maysn Ungerer scored a man-down goal and Wichert scored her 10th goal of the season to extend the lead to 5-1.
Adams State scored two straight goals to cut the Lady Bison lead in half with 20:49 remaining in the second half. Sarah Anderson answered 96 seconds later with her fourth goal of the season. Alexis Martin scored on an assist from Emily Gilbert to match the largest lead of the game at 7-3.
The Grizzlies attempted a furious comeback, scoring the final three goals, but the Lady Bison were able to hold on for the victory, retaining possession for the final 2:16.
“The defense came up with a huge turnover there at the end, and the offense did a great job of taking care of the ball,” Beech said.
Freshman goalkeeper Courtney Barnickle made four saves and picked up the win.
Ingrim paced the team with seven ground balls and eight caused turnovers, Ungerer added five ground balls, and Savannah Tompkins caused five turnovers.
Now halfway through a season-high four game home stand, the Lady Bison return to action when they host University of Colorado at Colorado Springs on Apr. 1.