Box Score Bartlesville, Okla. – This afternoon the Columbia College men's soccer team was back in action when they traveled to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to take on the second ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles in a nonconference matchup. The Cougars were unable to upset the Eagles as they were defeated by a final score of 7-0 to fall to 4-3-1 on the season.
Prior to the start of the match, the NAIA national office announced the fourth Men's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll of the 2018 season. The Cougars, who ranked 18th in the last poll, moved up two spots to 16th after winning their only game last week in a 4-0 victory over the Lyon (Ark.) College Scots.
In the first half of the game, both sides came out and tried to establish a tempo early. The Cougars did a good job of controlling the pace from the start but Oklahoma Wesleyan was able to settle in as the half progressed. The Eagles created several scoring chances in the period and were able to take their first lead of the game with 24 minutes left to play in the half when they beat the Cougars keeper to give themselves a 1-0 lead. Oklahoma Wesleyan added a second goal with nine minutes to play in the half and they took a 2-0 lead into the halftime break. Columbia College was outshot 8-0 in the period.
The Cougars came out in the second half and forced the Eagles keeper to make one of his two saves of the game just two minutes into the period on a shot from Adam Du Toit. However, Oklahoma Wesleyan quickly responded and were able to extend their lead to three with 31 minutes to play in the game. The Cougars did their best to get back into the game but the Eagles were able to score four more goals in the contest and did not allow Columbia to get anything going down the stretch solidify the 7-0 win.
Ryan Harrisskitt (3-2-1) was in goal this afternoon for the Cougars, recording four saves in the match.
The men's soccer team is back in action on Friday, September 28th when they play host to the Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) University Trojans in an AMC matchup. The game is set to start at 7 p.m. on R. Marvin Owen's Field.
