ODESSA, Texas – The Rogers State men's soccer team scored six first-half goals at Texas-Permian Basin and held on for a 7-5 win in a wild affair at UTPB Soccer Field Monday afternoon.
 
In the highest scoring Heartland Conference game this season, seven different players registered a point for RSU led by four-point days from Danko Kenjic and Austin Sexton. Kenjic matched Necas Collins' single-season record of seven assists from 2013 with two in the match.
 
The Hillcats scored early and often breaking the match open as Edward Hubbard buried the first of three RSU goals in the opening 12 minutes of the contest. Hubbard got his boot on a Collins feed redirecting the ball past UTPB goalkeeper Eric Beltran just 2:33 into the match.
 
Kenjic put the Hillcats in front 2-0 bending a free kick around the wall and inside the near post in the seventh minute. Five minutes later, RSU capitalized on another set-piece opportunity as Kenjic sent a perfect curling pass off a long-range free kick that found the head of Caleb Pitts. The junior whipped a header past Beltran for his fifth goal of the season.
 
The scoring outburst continued as RSU had three different players inking their name on the score sheet. Devin Zvosec headed home another corner kick for his first goal of the year in the 16th minute and just 10 seconds later, Sexton picked up a long ball and scored at close range.
 
Collins registered his first goal of the season in the 22nd minute giving the Hillcats what appeared at the time, a comfortable 6-0 lead.
 
The Falcons stopped the RSU attack and ended their shutout scoring in the 27th minute as the Hillcats took a 6-1 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
UTPB made things interesting early in the second half scoring two goals 47 seconds apart with a little help from the Hillcats. An own goal by RSU followed by a tally from the Falcons' B.J. Rodrick from 35 yards closed the deficit to 6-3 in the 48th minute.
 
Momentum continued to swing towards the side of the home Falcons as Gary Willis converted from the penalty spot in the 70th minute and a Sergio Enriquez tally in the 79th minute put UTPB back within one, 6-5.
 
Sexton gave RSU some breathing room in the 88th minute scoring his team-leading sixth goal of the season, and second of the afternoon, securing the conference road victory, 7-5.
 
Joey Arnold played all 90 minutes in goal getting the win, his first of the season for RSU, turning away three shots while Beltran suffered the loss for UTBP making five saves.
 
The Hillcats (6-8 overall, 2-3 HC) close the home season with a pair of games starting with Senior Night against Dallas Baptist Saturday, Oct. 25, at Soldier Field. The match is slated for a 7:30 p.m. start following the women's contest and can be viewed live online at www.rsuhillcats.com.