SILOAM SPRINGS -- A pair of headers and a very, very long 35-yard blast from junior Ryan Winingham was more than enough as the No. 24 John Brown University women's soccer team dealt Oklahoma City a 5-1 final on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 15) at Alumni Field.
Oklahoma City's eight-match unbeaten streak came to a quick end as the Golden Eagles (8-4-0, 4-1-0 Sooner Athletic) scored four goals in the first half and out-shot the visitors by a 20-10 margin.
Sophomore Bella Graber posted a career-high two primary assists – both from the corner flag – and both services finding the head of Winingham to help her post her first-career hat trick.
The first Graber-Winingham connection happened just 4:28 into the contest. The lead only lasted for almost four minutes exactly, as the Stars (9-2-2, 4-1-0) used a gritty play from Madi Caputo to level the match at one apiece.
Senior keeper Chloe Griffin came out to pounce on a loose through ball at the top of the box, but Caputo crashed the attempted and kicked the ball out of Griffin's hands. Quickly taking possession, Caputo turned, took one touch and lofted in City's only goal of the match into the empty goal.
The level match lasted only slightly more than eight minutes until Winingham booted home her second of the afternoon over an outstretched Irene Gonzalez to return the lead to the home side.
With the lead and controlling possession, the Golden Eagles struck for two goals in four minutes. Junior Alyssa Henderson ripped a shot just inside the box to the far left post off a feed forward from sophomore Elise Bosma to notch her first goal of the season. Just four minutes later, the Sooner Athletic's leading scorer stole possession from the OCU centerback, pushed the ball ahead and ran onto it and ripped an easy shot past Gonzalez all alone to boast her 11th strike of the season.
After out-shooting Oklahoma City by an 11-4 margin in the first period, John Brown added one more goal in the second stanza, another Graber-Winingham combination, giving Winingham her sixth of the season and third of the afternoon in the 59th minute.
Both Gonzalez and Griffin posted seven saves in the match, but Griffin improved to 8-3-0 on the year.
John Brown now hits the road for a pair of matches, beginning in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night (Oct. 18). JBU will take on Mid-America Christian at Dill Field at 5 p.m. live on the SAC Sports Network before continuing on to McPherson, Kan. for the weekend tilt.
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