By CAYDEN SANDERS
Tiger Media Network
One goal is to stay unbeaten at home.
So far this season, that’s been accomplished for the Fort Hays State University women’s soccer team.
The Tigers moved their record to 4-0-2 after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Emporia State University. The match was classified as a non-MIAA contest, as was Friday night’s matchup with Nebraska-Kearney — which resulted in a 1-0 FHSU victory.
“I did not know what to expect from (the Lopers). Coach (Rob Breton) has a lot of new players and transfers. They are a team that always fights hard and always gives it their best shot,” said FHSU head coach Tyson John.
Kearney could not get its offense going against FHSU, being outshot 22-2 the entire game. The Tigers found the back of the next in the 87th minute when leading scorer and senior Hannah Mares scored her fifth goal.
“I told the girls after the game that games like that make my hair turn grey when I grow it out, and it’s because we went 86 minutes without scoring a goal,” John said. “In the end, we won and you learn from a game like that one.”
Emporia State started the season ranked, but with challenging games and no wins, the Hornets fell out of the Top 25.
Fort Hays jumped on top early as sophomore Montserrat Diaz scored in the 24th minute of the match.
“In the goal I scored, I was worried because Coach (John) always says finish the play,” Diaz said. “And I don’t want to be the reason why we have to go back on a good possession. I am glad I made the shot because I did not know where it was going but I was happy that we scored first.”
The Hornets would not give up as ESU scored in the 66th minute to knot the game at 1-1.
“I thought we played good enough today to win the game,” John said. “We were winning the 50-50 balls and keeping the ball more on their half. The second half we knew they would not go away, and they came back and we knew it would be a dogfight.”
Fort Hays will be on the road Friday in a nonconference match at Washburn before beginning MIAA play Sunday at Emporia State.