FC Tulsa and El Paso Locomotive FC played to a back-and-forth 2-2 draw on Friday night at ONEOK Field that saw Locomotive FC’s Luis Solignac take control of a notable club record before the hosts grabbed a point to remain undefeated through three games on home turf this season.

Here are three things we took away from the contest.

TULSA’S MARCUS EPPS IS PROVING PIVOTAL

It’s probably fair to say that Marcus Epps’ professional career has always been one in constant motion. After playing for six different clubs between 2019 and midway through 2022, however, he might have found the place where he can thrive. Certainly, his quality on the ball has been something FC Tulsa has looked to exploit this season, and he was pivotal in helping the side earn another result on Friday night.

Epps was the most consistent outlet Tulsa was aiming to play through, aiming to switch play to the right flank to set him up in one-on-one opportunities. It provided a good amount of danger in the second half as the hosts were more aggressive when on the ball. The 28-year-old had the most touches of any of Tulsa’s attacking quartet over the contest, and almost put his side back on top within two minutes of the restart as he cut inside and struck a curling shot off the post. In the end his ability to deliver a quality ball proved key, setting up Moses Dyer’s stoppage-time equalizer. With two goals, one assist and a league-leading 12 dribbles completed, Epps is a vital cog in Tulsa’s attacking strategy.

EL PASO READY TO POUNCE

If there’s anything we’ve learned about El Paso Locomotive FC this past seven days it’s that if you give them an inch, they’ll take a yard. After capitalizing on Louisville City FC’s lax defending and passing last Saturday afternoon, the visitors were at it again in Tulsa on Friday night as their pressure resulted in both of Luis Solignac’s goals, which almost carried Locomotive FC to victory.

Targeting Tulsa’s back line as it tried to play out of the back, the duo of Liam Rose and Ricardo Zacarias forced a turnover on the edge of the penalty area that Zacarias quickly shifted to Solignac for his first of the season. Solignac then helped set up his second, poking a loose pass to teammate Eric Calvillo as El Paso’s pressure forced a mistake before receiving an immediate return pass for a brilliant finish from 20 yards. Locomotive FC only won possession three times in Tulsa’s defensive third on Friday, but they more than made the most of those opportunities.

LUIS SOLIGNAC SHINES IN SETTING CLUB RECORD

It’s easy to forget that Luis Solignac’s first introduction to the USL Championship was elsewhere in the Lonestar State when he competed for San Antonio FC in 2020 because his success over the past three seasons with El Paso Locomotive FC has quickly made him a legend in the club’s short history. Friday night marked his seventh two-goal performance in the club’s colors and took him to 28 goals in 62 regular season games at a strike rate of a goal every 166.3 minutes.

The 32-year-old’s 28 regular season goals are now the most in the club’s regular season history – teammate Josue Aaron Gomez, who made his 100th regular season appearance on Friday, holds a narrow edge still on 29 goals across the regular season and playoffs – but getting Solignac off the mark this season is another big boost for Locomotive FC’s aspirations. With 36 goals overall in the Championship’s regular season, he needs 14 goals in his next 22 appearances to become the fastest to 50 regular season tallies in the league’s history. As prolific as he’s been, that’s something we’ll be keeping a close eye on over the remainder of the season.