CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Rogers State women's soccer team dropped a 6-3 decision on Sunday afternoon to Ouachita Baptist at Soldier Field.
 
The Hillcats gave up two quick goals to start the game but never threw in the towel, with equaling the Tigers in shots on goal with each team tallying nine. Haley Hatcher gave OBU the lead in the fifth minute, intercepting a goal kick and beating RSU keeper Teri Cocke one on one. One minute later, OBU doubled its lead as Bryson Rial buried a free kick upper 90, backside from 35 yards out.
 
Blair Thomas tallied the Hillcats first goal on the season in the 12th minute of the game, cutting the RSU deficit, 2-1. The senior put together an impressive sequence of passes together with Paige Pontarolo and Lucy Redmond, finishing with a cross from Pontarolo slotted across the face of the goal.
 
OBU answered with a goal from Delaney Kooken in the 16th minute and Kasey Smith added a goal in the 34^th minute to make it a 4-1 game. Thomas struck one minute later to cut the OBU lead to 4-2 at intermission off an assist by Jianna Cervantes burying the ball upper ninety backside.
 
OBU put away two second half goals to seal the win but RSU continued to attack the goal to the finish. Devin Stokes scored her first career goal for the Hillcats in the 85^th minute to rejuvenate the Hillcat offense.  The junior from Owasso, Okla. won the ball in a scramble in the box and beat the keeper back post.  RSU's Pontarolo had two quality scoring opportunities in the final minute of the game with a shot sailing just over the cross bar and the second skipping just wide on the back post.
 
Cocke suffered the loss in goal, making three saves while OBU's Emily Keith and Katy Alexander combined for the win.
 
Rogers State (0-5) returns to action inside the friendly confines of Soldier Field on Tuesday as the Hillcats face former Sooner Athletic Conference foe John Brown at 5 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.