By FHSU Sports Information
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State men’s soccer team upset third ranked Rockhurst with a 4-2 victory behind the spectacular hat trick from junior Sergio Villalba on Sunday (Sept. 2). The Tigers improved to 2-0 on the young season, while the Hawks began their 2018 campaign 0-1.
Looking for revenge from the past two years of going 0-2-1 against Rockhurst, the Tigers were able to put a number in the win column as Sergio Villalba (sixth hat trick in program history) and Arsenio Chamorro produced all four goals in the victory over the Hawks at Bourke Field.
FHSU struck first as Villalba scored his first goal of the season by converting a free kick from 25 yards, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute of the contest. This was Villalba’s first goal since the 5-0 victory against Southern Nazarene (Sept. 9) last season.
Rockhurst settled down and Federico Verlichi connected on the equalizer, inside the left post from six yards out, knotting the match 1-1 in the 35th minute. The Tigers acted quickly as Santiago Agudelo broke through the Hawks defense and set up Villalba for his second score of the contest as he banked the ball off the right post from six yards, putting the Tigers out front once more.
At the break, the Tigers led the Hawks 2-1. Rockhurst came out firing in the second half and tied the game 2-2 in the 49th minute on a goal from Gianluca Bottoni. In a span of the next 28:35, the teams combined for two yellow cards and 12 fouls.
The Tigers were able to forge ahead once more in the 77th minute as Villalba completed the hat trick on another free kick from about 20 yards. Things got a little interesting in the closing minutes as both the Tigers and Hawks were forced to play with only 10 men for the final six minutes.
Chamorro put the finishing touch on the match with his first goal of the season in the 90th minute, accepting a pass from Tobias Patino and connecting on a chip shot to the left side of the net from 10 yards out.
Tempers flared throughout the match as a total of 37 fouls were called between the teams. Cullen Fisch picked up the victory in goal for the Tigers as he moved to 2-0 on the season.
Fort Hays State is back in action Thursday (Sept. 6) when they face No. 5 Midwestern State on a neutral pitch match in Shawnee, Okla. The Tigers and Mustangs are slated to kick off at 5 p.m.