OKLAHOMA CITY -- To celebrate Senior Day, senior forwards Kassie Byrd and Julia Nimal did what they have done many times over the past four seasons, carry the offensive load and lead the Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels to a 3-2 victory over the Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaps in Sooner Athletic Conference action Saturday morning (Oct. 20) at MACU Soccer Field.
Nimal got the Lady Evangels (8-7, 3-3 SAC) going early with a score that ricocheted off the left post and into the net from Chelsea Swisher in the eighth minute of the match.
Nimal then assisted on the first of two goals by Byrd as Byrd rebounded a shot by Nimal off the crossbar and put into the net at the 33:02 mark.
Byrd's second score came as she drilled a shot that was just out of reach of the goalkeeper and into the net at the 57:02 point.
From there, the Lady Evangels had to hang on as Brooke Wendl scored two goals for the Lady Chaps (12-4-1, 2-4-1 SAC), with the first coming on a penalty kick in the 58th minute.
Wendl then made it closer by connecting with just 11 seconds remaining in the match to create the final one-goal margin.
Byrd led the Lady Evangels with a match-high eight shots overall and Nimal had a match-high seven shots-on-goal. Chelsea Swisher had four shots and two on-goal.
Wendl had a team-high six shots and five shots-on-goal for the Lady Chaps.
Melissa Dobie recorded nine saves for the Lady Evangels, while Lauren Story started for LCU and played the first 25 minutes with one save and one goal allowed. Kayla Wilkinson relieved Story and played the final 65 minutes in the net and gave up two scores with six saves.
The Lady Evangels will remain at home and host John Brown University in their home season-finale on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 24) at 1 p.m. It will be Pink Day and anyone who brings a soccer ball to the game will be given free admission to aid the MACU Men's and Women's Soccer teams in supplying mission work in South Africa.
