CHICKASHA, Okla. – Oklahoma City University came up short in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament championship game with a 2-0 loss at No. 20 USAO on Thursday afternoon.
The Stars, ranked 25th in the NAIA, are not expected to receive a bid to the NAIA Championships that begin next week.
“To be honest, we didn't play very well today,” OCU coach Brian Harvey said. “The conditions didn't particularly suit our style, but we knew we would have to come here and face them. They [USAO] deserved to win on the day. They were the better side.”
OCU was only able to get off eight shots in the game, including just two shots on goal.
The first half was a defensive struggle as neither team was able get the ball in the net.
USAO held a 7-5 shots advantage at halftime with the score tied 0-0.
USAO got on the board in the 57th minute on a goal from Sam Shaddick to give the Drovers a 1-0 lead.
USAO added a late goal in the 86th minute for the final margin.
Chris Spendlove, a junior from Liverpool, England, led the Stars with three shots in the game, including one that was on goal.
Spendlove, Alex Gang and Steven Short were all voted to the SAC all-tournament team.
Gang led the Stars with 22 goals on the season, including three goals in OCU's 3-2 double-overtime victory over Southern Nazarene on Monday night in the semifinals of the SAC Tournament.
This was likely the final game for four seniors: Brandon Hull, Luke Garvey, A.J. Franks and Tyler Morrissey.
Hull was a four-year starter for the Stars and team captain. He scored six goals and dished out seven assists in his career. He was a two-time member of the COSIDA college-division academic all-district 6 team and a two-time winner of the NAIA scholar-athlete award. He was the 2008-09 OCU Male Student-Athlete of the Year, winning the Jim Wade Award. Hull will be graduating with a degree in biochemistry.
Garvey was a four-year member of the Stars. He recorded five goals to a long with 33 assists in his OCU career. In 2006, he was an honorable-mention NAIA all-American and second-team all-conference selection. In 2008, he was a first-team all-conference selection. Garvey will be graduating with a degree in sociology.
Franks was a four-year member for OCU defense. He scored one goal in his career. He will be graduating with a degree in business.
Finally, Morrissey was spent four years with the Stars. He was an NAIA scholar-athlete award winner in 2007 and 2008. He will be graduating with a degree in psychology.
Boxscore
Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament
MEN
Friday, Nov. 6
First Round
Oklahoma City 2, John Brown 0
Rogers State 1, Oklahoma Christian 0
Monday, Nov. 9
Semifinals
USAO 4, Rogers State 0
Oklahoma City 3, Southern Nazarene 2, 2OT
Thursday's Result
Championship
USAO 2, Oklahoma City 0
