The No. 2 seeded Fort Hays State University Tigers took down No. 3 seeded Northeastern State, 3-2, on Thursday evening in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament in Olathe, Kan.
FHSU (12-4-2, 6-1-2 MIAA) moves on to Saturday’s championship match against either Lindenwood (1st seed) or Upper Iowa (4th seed). NSU drops to 10-3-4, 6-1-2 MIAA for the season.
Ricardo Yeverino broke a 0-0 stalemate with the RiverHawks just 10:48 into the match. Jaccob Rangel controlled the ball on the right edge of the box and passed it into the center for Yeverino, who was just three yards out from the net when he scored. It was Yeverino’s 11th goal and Rangel’s third assist on the season.
NSU answered back less than 30 seconds later, however. Crosby Lee passed to Juan Peralta from the baseline on the south end of the field, past a diving Jason Babyak . Juan Peralta then flipped a pass to Jordan Schmoker, who drilled a shot into a near open net, tying it 1-1.
In the 23rd minute of the match, FHSU regained the lead on Michael Cole’s fourth goal of the season. Rangel racked up his second assist of the day, when he passed from just outside the box into Cole at the hash mark. Cole then slid it goalie Eric Shephard for the score.
At the half, FHSU and NSU had each taken seven shots, with the Tigers putting four on goal. The RiverHawks had two shots on goal for the half.
FHSU stretched its lead to 3-1 midway through the second half as Cole netted his second goal of the contest at 64:03. Yeverino fired a pass from the center of the box to the wide left of the box, finding Cole for an opposite post goal.
In the 66th minute, NSU’s Schmoker would score his second goal of the game, using an assist from Juan Peralta, but it was too late for the RiverHawks as FHSU closed out the match for a win.
Yeverino led the Tigers with four shots (three on goal) in the contest, followed by three shots (two on goal) from Cole and Rangel. Daniel Peralta and Drew Wilson each had one shot on goal.
Babyak improved to 9-2-1 between the posts with six saves.
The Tigers will face Lindenwood in Saturday’s 11am title match after the Lions 3-1 win in their semifinal match.
— FHSU Sports Information —