Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 20, 2014) – Harding (Ark.) goalkeeper Tyler Melson ensured there would be no dramatic game-winner for Oklahoma Christian against the Bisons on Saturday afternoon.

Melson made three key saves in the second half – one on a breakaway by Fraol Legesse – allowing Harding to rally from an early deficit to earn a 1-1 tie against OC at the Eagle Soccer Field.

The first-ever meeting between the sister Christian schools was wildly competitive, with OC (1-2-1) finishing with a slight 25-22 edge in shots against Harding (1-2-1). Both teams had ample opportunities to seize control of the game, but it was the Eagles' inability to put away a couple of excellent scoring opportunities that cost them a win, OC coach David Scott said.

"We've had a little bit of trouble this season putting our chances away," Scott said. "Credit to their goalkeeper – he got two saves on breakaways, but those are chances we've got to put away. There were a couple of other chances that we were just wasteful with. We gave away too many opportunities."

OC's goal came just 76 seconds in. Domenico DeGrazia took a free kick from about 45 yards out after a Harding foul and boomed a shot past surprised Harding goalkeeper Thomas Shults. It was DeGrazia's first goal of the season.

The Bisons nearly tied the game when a shot by Daniel Gamboa in the 62nd minute hit the post. Legesse broke free about four minutes later and had a one-on-one with Melson (who replaced Shults at halftime), but Melson fended off the shot. That came moments after Melson had stopped a good shot by OC's Cole Rinke.

Less than two minutes after that, Harding equalized. Jeremy Rector took the ball on the right side of the field and passed to Barry Foster, who, after a couple of quick touches, beat OC goalkeeper Evan Helker from about 15 yards out.

Harding's Van Thang hit the bottom of the crossbar in the 79th minute. In the 89th minute, OC had a chance to win the game but Melson saved a shot by Seth Brown.

OC outshot Harding 5-3 in overtime, but the Bisons had the best scoring chance on a shot by Foster in the 101st minute that Helker saved. Helker finished with five saves, while Melson had three and Shults had two.

The attendance for the game – the first visit by any Harding team to OC since January 1989 – was the highest of the season for OC.

"It was a good game today – very competitive," Scott said. "I'd like to get this into a yearly thing. We had a great crowd for the game today. They traveled well and we had a good turnout from our side. It was a fun game to be a part of."

OC now will make its first road trip of the season, with games at West Texas A&M on Thursday and Eastern New Mexico next Saturday.