OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU women's soccer team found itself down by a pair of goals early in the second half, but did not panic as the Evangels rallied to score three unanswered over a 12-minute stretch to come away with a 3-2 victory over Missouri Baptist in their season-opener at the Dill Soccer Field on Thursday night.

Junior forward Jasmine Morales came away with her first career multi-goal game, including netting the game-winner in the 70^th minute.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• 1^st Half – MBU – 7:55 – Goal: Gabbie Wood (1), Assist: Morgan Hollenbeck – MBU 1, MACU 0
• 2^nd Half – MBU – 57:50 – Goal: Own Goal (1) – MBU 2, MACU 0
• 2^nd Half – MACU – 58:24 – Goal: Jasmine Morales (1) – MBU 2, MACU 1
• 2^nd Half – MACU – 62:33 – Goal: Gladis Avalos (1), Assists: Madison Chavez, Dani Duke – MACU 2, MBU 2
• 2^nd Half – MACU – 69:58 – Goal: Jasmine Morales (2) – MACU 3, MBU 2

MATCH SUMMARY

• Mid-America Christian got three very good open looks at goal in the first six minutes, including two off the foot of Jasmine Morales, but MBU keeper Gabby Mattli made a pair of strong saves to keep the Evangels off the board.
• Just under eight minutes into the half, Missouri Baptist struck first Morgan Hollenbeck's middle send down the left side found the foot of Gabbie Wood, who fired a 19-yard rocket just inside the left post out of the reach of the diving Rachel Torres to make it a 1-0 Spartans lead.
• The Evangels had a great chance at an equalizer in the 23^rd minute when Annika Gerdau on a breakaway down the left side crossed it into the center of the 18-yard box for Morales, but Mattli made another fantastic save on the 16-yard shot toward the top right.
• MACU managed to put three more shots on-target over the remainder of the half, but the Evangels were unable to find the equalizer before heading into the halftime break.
• To open the second half, miscommunication ended up putting the Evangels down by a pair in the 58^th minute as a deep right-side corner toward the left post took an unfortunate bounce off the head of a MACU defender and into the net for an own goal, setting the score to 2-0.
• Just 34 seconds later, the Evangels got the goal back when Morales intercepted a cleared ball by Mattli near the top of the 18-yard box and fired an open 30-yard look inside the left post for MACU's first goal of the season, making it a 2-1 game.
• In the 63^rd minute, Mid-America Christian found the equalizer when Dani Duke lofted a sensational throw-in down the left side for Madison Chavez who ran it down at the right edge of the 18-yard box before finding a wide-open Gladis Avalos inside the penalty box. From 14 yards out, Avalos lofted a shot toward the top right corner of the goal for the first of her MACU career.
• With just over 20 minutes left, MACU pounced on a major Spartans mistake. After Alison Mora broke down the left side and tried to cross a ball from the left side of the box toward Deborah Silveria cutting toward the right post, Mattli and an MBU defender collided trying to intercept the cross before Morales pounced on the open opportunity, blasting an open 8-yarder inside the left post for the game-winner.
• The stout MACU defense did not allow another Spartans shot on-goal over the final 20 minutes as the Evangels secured the victory.

MATCH NOTES

• Despite the close result, Mid-America Christian dominated both offensively and defensively throughout the entire match, outshooting Missouri Baptist 26-5 with a 15-3 edge in shots on-goal.
• Jasmine Morales was the aggressor in the Evangels attack, attempting a match-high seven shots with five shots landing on-target. Her pair of goals were the sixth and seventh of her MACU career while also netting her fourth game-winner.
• Redlands Community College standout Gladis Avalos made her impact felt in her Evangels debut with her first MACU goal while freshman forward Madison Chavez tallied her first collegiate assist on the Ardmore High School alumni's dish to Avalos.
• Rachel Torres notched her first career win in-goal for MACU after recording a save.
• Mid-America Christian avenged a 2-1 loss to Missouri Baptist on Sept. 20 last season in a match where the Evangels held a 10-7 shot advantage, including a 9-4 cushion in shots on-goal.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will look to carry the momentum into its first road match of the season on Saturday as the Evangels will travel to Baker in Baldwin City, Kan. for a 6 p.m. kickoff.