HAYS, Kan. – After a two-game losing-skid, the Fort Hays State women’s soccer team got back on track as they defeated Nebraska-Kearney 1-0 at home. The Tigers avenged an early season loss to the Lopers with the win, and improve to 9-5-3 overall and 6-3-1 in MIAA play. The win also helped the Tigers secure the No. 4 seed and an MIAA Conference Tournament match on their home field next Wednesday (Nov. 1) at 7 p.m.
Both teams heading to the locker room scoreless after the first half as neither team was able to net a goal in the first 45 minutes. The blistering cold added another level to the match as the players tried to keep their legs warm in an effort to score. Only three shots were taken in the first half with the Tigers attempting just one compared to two from the Lopers. Neither goalie on the field was able to collect a save as all shots soared past outside the goal.
With the second half underway, the Tigers got their offensive minds working as they were able to outshoot Nebraska-Kearney 13-2 in the final period. Just ten minutes into the half, Jasmine Beaulieu netted her second goal of the season off a double-assist from Eden Stoddard and Olympia Katsouridis. The ball slipt past Ali Hirschman on the right to put the Tigers up 1-0 over the Lopers. This goal would go on to be the game-winner as UNK was unable to hit the back of the net from either of their two attempts.
With the win, the Tigers break their two-match losing streak and pick up their ninth win this season. Senior goalkeeper Kristen Thompson earned the win in net and improves to 6-3-1 as the anchor for the Tigers this season. Thompson has a team-leading 41 saves in her 10 matches played this year. Hirschman gets the loss for the Lopers in net, and drops to 3-9-2 on the year. Hirschman accounted for the only five saves from any goalie to participate in the match.
The Tigers sent their five seniors out in style with the win as Stoddard, Thompson, Beaulieu, Baylie Schmitz and Silvana Romero all walked away with a win in their final regular-season home match as FHSU soccer players. The seniors now boast a cumulative record of 48-23-9 overall with the victory tonight.
The Tigers will be back in action on Sunday (Oct. 29) in their final regular-season match of 2017 as they travel east to Washburn. Earlier this season, the Ichabods defeated the Tigers 1-0. After that contest, the Tigers will enter the MIAA conference tournament as the No. 4 seed on Wednesday as the first-round gets underway at 7 p.m.