BY CAYDEN SANDERS
PHOTOS BY TEARNEY McGIVNEY
The Fort Hays State Tigers men’s soccer team was back home Thursday to take on the No. 19 Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm. The Crimson Storm and Tigers entered the game tied atop the GAC standings with 17 points apiece with the winner clinching a spot in the GAC Tournament to be played the first week of November.
Both teams could also stay in the race to host the GAC tournament with a victory. By halftime, the Tigers led 1-0 and carried the lead to the very end of the match.
“It is good to be back at home versus a ranked opponent; Arkansas didn’t treat us well, but we got the win at home, and we are in the home stretch of the regular season,” Tigers Head Coach Gerry Cleary said.
With the Tiger’s backs against the wall in the conference standings after losing to Newman and Harding on the road, FHSU needed this win to clinch a spot in the conference tournament November 4th-6th.
“We needed to win this game at home; we have been working all week to prepare for these last three games,” Cleary said.
The Crimson Storm put the pressure on the Tigers early as their offense attempted four shots, with two landing on goal and controlled the ball for 54 percent of the first half on the Tigers’ defensive side of the field.
Southern Nazarene had chances to cross the ball in on a corner but never took advantage. It took the Tigers until the fifth attempt for the Crimson Storm’s corner kicks to capitalize as Callum Frogson carried the ball down the pitch to cross it to Augstin Ayala. Ayala’s goal came in the 42nd minute of the match, earning the first goal of the game, but his third of the season.
“It was a great run. I am glad that Callum [Frogson] found me in the box,” Ayala said. “I didn’t know where that ball was going, but I got it past the keeper, and that is all that matters.”
In the second half, the Tigers and Storm jockeyed for position as neither team could find the back of the net. The Crimson Storm found the crossbar three times during the match, which could have won their team the game. The Storm had 19 shots compared to FHSU’s eight, but the Tigers earned the victory.
The Tigers move to 8-4-3 and gain two points to the next closest team in the conference, Rogers State, after FHSU’s convincing victory over Ouachita Baptist 7-0 earlier this season. The Tigers will be on the road to the RiverHawks of Northeastern State this Saturday and will return home for Senior Night on Thursday, October 27 against Rogers State to finish the regular season.
