FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
BETHANY, Okla. – The 25th-ranked Fort Hays State men’s soccer team improved to 10-3-1 overall with a 7-0 rout at Southern Nazarene on Saturday (Oct. 22). The Crimson Storm fell to 1-13-1 overall.
Michael Cole had a career day for the Tigers as he set the single match record for points in a game with seven. He recorded his first career hat-trick with three goals and added an assist in just 46 minutes on the pitch.
Cole scored the first of his three goals in the 10th minute to give FHSU a 1-0 lead. Mauricio Castorino sent a ball to Cole on the left side, who ripped a shot from 15 yards out that found the back of the net. Cole struck again at the 11:44 mark, this time on a ball from Drew Wilson.
Cole played a role reversal as the Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 in the 14th-minute when he set up Maurizio Costa for his fifth goal of the season. Cole created space and then crossed the ball into the box that Costa was able to make a play on. Costa ripped a shot from 15 yards out on the right side that buried in the back of the net.
Luis Mendez scored the first of his two goals in the match just 50 seconds into the second half. Costa fired a ball that the SNU keeper was able to deflect but the rebound fell right to Mendez as he knocked it in.
Costa made it a 5-0 game when he recorded his second goal at the 54:24 mark. Wilson once again distributed a great ball to set up his teammate and Costa took the through ball and made a shot from 22 yards out.
Exactly 5:56 later Cole completed the hat-trick thanks to a ball from Derick Gonzalez increasing the Tiger lead to 6-0. Mendez completed the onslaught after Castorino rifled a shot that the SNU keeper couldn’t handle, getting his second rebound goal of the game.
With all the offense, FHSU goalkeeper Michale Yantz still had to make five saves to seal the shutout and picked up his sixth win of the season. With the five saves, Yantz surpassed the century mark for saves in his career with 103 to date.
The Tigers jump back into MIAA play on Friday (Oct. 28) when they host Southwest Baptist at 7 pm in Hays.