SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Oklahoma Wesleyan University Men's Soccer opened conference play in dominant fashion Wednesday night, controlling the pitch from start to finish in a 3-0 shutout victory over Evangel University at Coryell Field.

The Eagles dictated the tempo throughout the full 90 minutes, controlling possession, applying sustained pressure in the attacking third and completely shutting down the Valor attack. OKWU outshot Evangel 23-0, including a 10-0 advantage in shots on frame, while also earning all eight corner kicks in the match.

After spending much of the opening half probing Evangel's defensive shape, Oklahoma Wesleyan finally found the breakthrough in the 39th minute.

Nasreddine Benbella broke the deadlock at the 38:41 mark, finishing an opportunity created by Eguzki Hashimoto to put the Eagles ahead 1-0. The strike marked Benbella's fourth goal of the season and rewarded OKWU for its persistent pressure in the final third.

The Eagles carried the one-goal advantage into the halftime break after holding Evangel without a single shot during the opening 45 minutes.

Oklahoma Wesleyan came out of the interval looking for an insurance goal and found it in the 57th minute. Alejandro Aleman Lopez helped unlock the Valor back line and connected with Hashimoto, who finished the move for his second goal of the season and doubled the Eagles' advantage to 2-0.

Hashimoto's performance proved instrumental in the victory, as he finished the night with one goal and one assist, playing a role in each of OKWU's first two goals.

With a two-goal cushion, the Eagles continued to control the flow of the match rather than sitting back. OKWU fired 13 shots in the second half and continued to stretch Evangel's defensive shape with movement through the midfield and into the attacking channels.

The Eagles put the finishing touch on the result in the 89th minute when Mateja Bozic found the back of the net for his third goal of the campaign, sealing the 3-0 decision.

Bozic was a constant threat in the attacking third, leading Oklahoma Wesleyan with seven shots and three attempts on goal. Ronardo Burgher added four shots, while Aleman Lopez and Hashimoto recorded three attempts apiece as the Eagles generated chances from across the formation.

While the attack supplied three goals, the performance at the other end of the pitch was equally commanding.

The OKWU back line of Colon Valeriano, Santiago Mejia, Ognjen Pilic and the Eagles' defensive unit kept Evangel from registering a single shot for the entire match. Goalkeeper Marko Rodic went the full 90 minutes between the posts to secure the clean sheet as Oklahoma Wesleyan denied the Valor any meaningful opportunity in the final third.

The statistical advantage reflected the Eagles' control of the contest. OKWU finished with 23 shots, 10 shots on goal and eight corner kicks, while Evangel finished with zeros in all three categories. Evangel goalkeeper Valentin Goity was forced into seven saves as the Eagles remained on the front foot throughout the night.

The victory moves Oklahoma Wesleyan to 4-0-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while Evangel falls to 2-1-1 overall and 0-1 in conference action.

For the Eagles, the conference opener featured everything they could ask for — three different goal scorers, relentless attacking pressure and a clean sheet at the back. From the opening whistle to the final touch, OKWU controlled the pitch and collected all three points in convincing fashion.