HAYS, Kan. – With the match tied at 1-1 leading into the final minutes, Eden Stoddard earned her seventh goal of the season to lead the Tigers to a 2-1 MIAA win over Lindenwood Friday night. Fort Hays State now improves its record to 5-2-2 and 2-0 in the early conference season. The Lions drop to 3-6 and 0-2 in MIAA play.
The Lions got on the board first in the game as they earned a 1-0 advantage at the 20:19 minute mark in the match behind Becky Roberts’ third goal of the season on a solo shot in front of FHSU keeper Kristen Thompson. It took less than 20 minutes for the Tigers to even up the score after Silvana Romero netted her season-first goal from the feet of Stoddard who earned her third assist of the season as she set up a Romero goal up the right side of the pitch. The Tigers and Lions headed into the halftime tied at 1-1.
The second half remained even with neither team adding another goal to their name. Despite Fort Hays State outshooting Lindenwood 9-2 in the second half, the Tigers were not able to capture another goal until four minutes left in the match. Stoddard netted her team-high seventh goal of the season off a header and pass from Darby Hirsch and Romero at the 86:10 mark. The huge goal ultimately would seal the win for the Tigers 2-1 to help them remain unbeaten at 2-0 in the MIAA.
In the match, Fort Hays State out-shot Lindenwood by 17 with the 22-5 advantage in the category. Mary McGilvray for the Lions got dealt her third loss of the season to drop her record behind the net for Lindenwood to 3-6 behind seven saves on the night. For the Tigers, Thompson and Megan Kneefel split the goal security duties with Thompson earning the lone save of the match for Fort Hays State in the first half. Kneefel earned the victory, however, as she anchored the Tigers in the second half to earn her first win in goal this season. Kneefel now sits at 1-1-1 on the year.
The road for the Tigers doesn’t get any easier as they play host to No. 3 Central Missouri Sunday for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Jennies are 9-0 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA as they have held their opponents scoreless by holding a 38-0 advantage.