CLAREMORE, Okla. – With fireworks bursting in the background, the Rogers State men's soccer team won its fourth-consecutive match shutting down Southern Nazarene 3-0 Thursday night at Soldier Field.
For the third-straight contest, the Hillcats kept the opposition off the scoresheet dominating from start to finish by holding a 20-8 margin in shots.
Danko Kenjic put the home side on the scoreboard in the 11th minute when he chipped the ball over the head of the last defender. After the ball bounced, the reigning Heartland Conference Offensive Player of the Week blasted a half volley inside the near post for his team-leading fifth goal of the season. The eventual game-winning tally put RSU in front 1-0 where the lead stayed through the halftime whistle.
In the second half, the Hillcats struck for two more goals as the offense continued to find its rhythm.
Dylan Beaird continued his torrid start for the navy and red netting his fourth of the year just 1:05 into the second stanza, settling a perfect through pass from
Niall Masterson before ripping a shot to the far corner.
Masterson came through with another perfect cross in the 73rd minute off a corner kick. The senior swung a ball to the near post where freshman
Josh Howard dove and flicked a header to the back post for his first collegiate goal putting RSU in front 3-0.
Celebrating his birthday, senior
Nathan Garcia nearly added to the RSU lead late in the match putting two perfect headers on frame only to see the Crimson Storms' Jeff Ray make diving saves on both as the match ended with the 3-0 score line.
Gammill and
Mitchell Penton combined for the Hillcat shutout. Gammill saved the only two SNU shots on goal moving to 4-1 on the season. Ray turned away eight shots while suffering the loss as the Crimson Storm remains winless in 2015 at 0-4.
The Hillcats (4-1 overall) continue a four-match homestand Saturday night playing host to Oklahoma Baptist at Soldier Field. The contest is set to begin at 7 p.m. and be viewed live on the Hillcat Network at
www.rsuhillcats.com.
