CHICKASHA, Okla. – The Oklahoma City University men swept both meetings this season with USAO and turned in a 2-1 performance on Monday afternoon to win their Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal match.

The Stars (11-5-2) now advance to the tournament finals and play for the right to compete in the NAIA Championship Opening Round. OCU meets regular-season champion and 15th-ranked Oklahoma Baptist on Thursday at 2 p.m. in Shawnee, Okla.

“It was a very nice victory especially after being a goal down being on the road, and also we had Francis (Malalou) injured fairly early,” OCU coach Brian Harvey said. “Overall, it was a very good performance.”

In the semifinal match, OCU's Stuart Hilton netted the Stars' first score in the 28th minute, knotting the match at one apiece. Hilton, a senior from Liverpool, England, was assisted on the play by Ryan Hunter.

The game-winning goal came in the 75th minute of regulation off an OCU corner kick. John Dill, a senior from Broken Arrow, Okla., put the ball into play from the far left corner. Drew Hall, a freshman from Edmond, Okla., punched in the goal, and clinched the Stars return trip to the SAC championship match for the second straight season.

Hunter, a sophomore from Tulsa, Okla., nearly scored a third goal for the Stars in the 81st minute when he booted a rocket towards the goal that was narrowly saved by the Drovers' keeper.

“Ryan Hunter had an unbelievable shot, rather unlucky not to score there,” Harvey said. “I thought Dillon Stupka did very well coming on as a freshman, and I'm really proud of those boys.”

No. 21-ranked USAO struck first in the match when the Drovers scored an early goal in the sixth minute. The Stars defense held USAO to the lone goal and staved off the Drovers' offense for 84 minutes to earn the victory. OCU goalkeeper Andy Fitzpatrick, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., turned away two shots. He now has 60 saves on the season.

“It's been proven that anything can happen,” Harvey said. “There's been a number of upsets on the road lately, but we're playing well at the right time and that's what's important.”
Boxscore

Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament

MEN

Friday's Results

Quarterfinals

Oklahoma Baptist 2, St. Gregory's 1

Oklahoma City 3, Rogers State 1

USAO 5, Oklahoma Christian 1

John Brown (Ark.) 1, Southern Nazarene 0

Monday's Results

Semifinals

Oklahoma Baptist 1, John Brown 0, OT

Oklahoma City 2, USAO 1

Thursday's Match

Championship

Oklahoma City at Oklahoma Baptist, 2 p.m.