HAYS, Kan. – No. 13 (2) Rogers State men's soccer's (14-4-5) historic season ended in heartbreak against No. 4 (1) Fort Hays State (20-0-3) in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers claimed the regional title with a final score of 4-0.
 
"Thank you to God for a historic season," commented first-year head coach Jake Simpson. "I am so proud to be the coach of this team and so proud of what these boys have accomplished together!"
 
Fort Hays State struck first at FHSU Soccer Stadium with a goal from Mario Leal-Vales, assisted by Tadhg Walsh off a corner kick in the eighth minute. Hays outshot Rogers State 7-1 and earned nine corner kick opportunities, leading to a 1-0 advantage at halftime.
 
In the second half, the Hillcats created several scoring opportunities, including a penalty kick awarded for a handball by the Tigers after a shot from Louis Basset. However, Payton Roehrich, the D2CCA and MIAA Goalkeeper of the Year, saved Oliver Hemlin's penalty attempt in the 69th minute.
 
Hays added three more goals to secure a 4-0 victory and advance to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals next Friday in Colorado Springs.
 
Bassett led the Hillcats with three shots, including one on goal, while Lawson Ford contributed two shots, one of which was a laser in the 88th minute that sailed just over the crossbar. Defensively, Jaxon Kendall finished with two saves, and Artur Carvalho, Sam Ryder and Jackson Boreham played the full 90 minutes.
 
In 2025, the Hillcats had their most successful season in program history, finishing second in the GAC/MIAA regular season and tournament championships. They also achieved NCAA Tournament wins on their home pitch against Cedarville and Lincoln, marking the first such wins in school history. Additionally, Rogers State reached its highest ranking of eighth in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
 
This marks the conclusion of the season. For more information and updates on the RSU men's soccer team, visit Men's Soccer - Rogers State University Athletics.