BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- In a match that remained deadlocked until the final moments, No. 12 John Brown (Ark.) saw its hopes dashed by a late No. 14 Oklahoma Wesleyan goal at the OKWU Soccer Complex, falling 1-0 in a tense, defensive battle.
The top-25 match remained scoreless for most of the contest, including neither team registering a shot on goal in the first half. Instead, both sides showcased strong defensive play and tactical discipline.
Oklahoma Wesleyan's breakthrough came at the 85:22 mark when forward Alana Doherty found the back of the net in an unassisted effort, breaking the stalemate. The visiting Golden Eagles (3-3-1) managed two more shot attempts in the final four minutes of action, with one sailing high, and the other pushed aside by OKWU keeper Carlota Alcalde.
Freshman Marely Fonseca, making her first collegiate start, was impressive throughout the match, but was unable to stop Doherty's strike despite her five crucial saves.
John Brown's defense held firm for most of the contest, with Fonseca playing a pivotal role in keeping Oklahoma Wesleyan's (3-0-2) attack at bay for the first 85 minutes. The Golden Eagles' backline was tested repeatedly, particularly in the second half, when Oklahoma Wesleyan increased their offensive intensity, registering eight total shots, six of which were on frame.
On the offensive side, John Brown managed to produce 11 total shots, only four of which were on goal. Sophomore Julia Lambert led the Golden Eagles with five shots, with one on goal. Lambert had a prime opportunity in the 56th minute, as did freshman Caitlin Hilson in the 80th minute, but both were parried away by Alcalde, denying the Golden Eagles a chance at breaking the scoreless deadlock.
With the loss, John Brown falls to 1-4-0 in Bartlesville since 2015, and 1-2-0 against national top-25 competition in the 2024 campaign.
JBU gets another chance at a ranked result on Saturday (Sept. 21) morning, when the Golden Eagles face No. 10 Columbia (Mo.) to close out the non-conference slate of the season. The 11 a.m. kickoff will be carried live on the SAC Sports Network.
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