FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
FAYETTE, Iowa – The 21st-ranked Fort Hays State men’s soccer team had its hopes of sharing an MIAA title dashed after suffering a 2-1 loss at the hands of Upper Iowa on Friday (Nov. 4). With the loss the Tigers drop to 12-4-1 on the season and 5-2 in the MIAA, while the Peacocks improved to 7-9 overall and 4-4 in the conference.
Ryan Pinkerton gave the Peacocks a 1-0 lead in the 27th-minute with his fourth goal of the year. From about 25 yards out he squared up and ripped a shot that found the left corner of the FHSU net. Just over five minutes later, Aaron Morgan once again found the back of the net for UIU increasing its lead to 2-0. Morgan was the beneficiary of some nice passing that landed at his feet about three yards out and he tapped it in.
A positive note from the first half was the Tigers outshooting the Peacocks by a total of 12-5, but only four of the 12 shots were on net.
The second half was much of the same for the Tigers as they once again outshot UIU 8-1. The Tigers were much more efficient in the second half with their shots as 50 percent were on goal. That being said, Mauricio Castorino was able to cut the lead in half and get the Tigers back in the match when he recorded his fifth goal of the season. Castorino took a ball from 20 yards out, put a move on a defender and sprinted to his right towards the middle of the box. Then he ripped a shot that bounced off of the inside of the far post and in with 13:25 to remaining in the match.
The comeback however was too little, too late as the Upper Iowa defense thwarted any other threats the Tigers brought their way.
FHSU wraps up the regular season on Sunday (Nov. 6) when they take on Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo. Kickoff is set for 1 pm. Lindenwood claimed the MIAA Regular Season title outright with the FHSU loss on Friday.