TULSA, Okla. - The Rogers State men's soccer team was unable to overcome a two-goal deficit in the first half as NCAA Division I opponent Oral Roberts tallied a 2-1 win over the Hillcats on Friday evening.
The Hillcats dominated the second stanza, getting on the board in the 51st minute as Caleb Pitts tallied his first goal of the season. Danko Kenjic served the ball into the box off a corner kick and Pitts headed it past the diving keeper back post.
With the goal, RSU gained the momentum and sent the Golden Eagles into panic mode. RSU held possession for much of the second half with several chances to tally the equalizer but couldn't find the back of the net. With 28 minutes to play Kaspars Kokis blasted the ball off the crossbar from the top of the box and three minutes later Walter Hubbard took a shot from just inside the box but it landed right in the goalkeepers hands. RSU crashed the goal late in the game and held the ball on the offensive end but ORU was able to squeak by with its first win of the season.
Both of the Golden Eagle's goals came in the first frame as Edgardo Mira snuck a free kick by RSU goalkeeper Mitchell Penton in the eighth minute of the game. Despite giving up the early goal, RSU was able to settle in midway through the first half and began to hold their own. ORU's second goal came off a penalty kick by Gerardo Salas. The call was disputed with no avail by the RSU sideline as the referee signaled the penalty kick after Hillcat defender Devin Zvosec cleanly tacked the ball away from the ORU offensive player in the center of the box.
Ben LaCourse earned the win in goal for the Golden Eagles. The sophomore from Tulsa, Okla. kept ORU in the game, making eight saves on the night. Penton suffered the loss for RSU allowing two first half goals.
Rogers State (1-3) will return to the pitch on Sunday as they look to rebound against Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
