OKLAHOMA CITY - In 2017, Mid-America Christian University's Brittney Stephens set a new MACU record for goals in a single season. On Tuesday afternoon, she became just the fourth player in MACU women's soccer history to reach the 40 goal plateau for her career.
Stephens scored twice and added an assist as MACU (5-7, 1-4 SAC) picked up a critical 4-1 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God University that gives the Evangels the inside track toward a Sooner Athletic Conference tournament berth. Stephens' two goals moved her past Kaci Power (39) into fourth on MACU's All-Time Goal Scoring List.
Alex white threaded a beautiful pass down the right wing side in the ninth minute of the match on Tuesday, and Liz Lozano did the rest. Lozano took the pass, pressed it down on the wing, and then shot a pass across to Stephens who cashed in the only goal of the first half. MACU controlled the half territorially, but Sarah Palmer was solid in goal for SAGU, and at intermission, the score remained 1-0 MACU.
SAGU drew even in the 52nd minute on a goal from Messly Navarro, and in the aftermath of that goal, MACU had to make two great saves - one from goalkeeper Jennifer Starwalt, and the other from defender Kelsey Janko off the line behind Starwalt 0 to keep the score tied at 1-1. After Stephens hit the crossbar in the 57th minute, White collected the loose ball and put it in the net for her first career goal, and MACU grabbed the lead back at 2-1.
SAGU appeared to tie the score just second later, but Catherine Turner was ruled to have been in an offside position, which negated the goal, and MACU took control from there. Stephens took a pass from White in the 66th minute and beat Palmer 1-on-1 to score her second goal of the match - and the 40th of her career - and give MACU some breathing room. Stephens added an assist in the 82nd minute on a goal for Lozano that capped the scoring and gave MACU the 4-1 win.
Starwalt (3-7) made eight saves and allowed only the one goal in the win, and Palmer allowed four goals and made four stops for SAGU in the loss.
MACU will hit the road on Friday evening for their final road match of the season. The Evangels will take on the Texas Wesleyan University Rams (9-3-1, 4-1-1) in Fort Worth, Texas at 5 p.m.
