BETHANY, Okla. – Harding freshman Jeremy Rector scored his first two collegiate goals and junior Jacob Stevens added the game-winner as the Bisons defeated Southern Nazarene 3-2 on Thursday night in MIAA action.

With the victory, Harding improved to 5-5-3 overall and 3-4-0 in conference play. It marks only the second time in program history that the Bisons have won as many as three conference games. In 2008, Harding went 3-3-0 in the Gulf South Conference. The Bisons also have a .500 record or better after 13 games for the first time since going 6-6-1 to start the 2003 season.

The Bisons remain in fifth place in the MIAA standings. Fourth-place Upper Iowa tied Southwest Baptist 1-1 on Thursday and has a 3-2-2 record with one game remaining.

Harding has three games remaining, all on the road, beginning Saturday at 17th-ranked Fort Hays State.

Rector, playing less than two hours from his home in Broken Arrow, scored his first goal less than three minutes before halftime on a feed from Cole Walker. The goal tied the score at 1-1 after Southern Nazarene's Edgar Pineda scored his eighth goal of the season in the 19th minute.

Pineda struck again to open the scoring in the second half. His free kick goal made it 2-1 Southern Nazarene in the 58th minute. But the Crimson Storm lead was short-lived.

Only 22 seconds after Southern Nazarene took the lead, Rector tied the game, scoring on a header off a cross from Barry Foster.

Stevens sealed the victory for the Bisons, their second of the season against Southern Nazarene, with his goal in the 73rd minute off another assist from Cole Walker. It was Stevens' fourth goal and second game-winning goal this season. Harding also defeated Southern Nazarene 4-3 in overtime on Sept. 26 in Searcy.

Harding outshot Southern Nazarene 18-13. Senior Will Lynn made four saves to earn his fifth victory of the season. Tyler Wythe made eight saves for the Crimson Storm.