CLAREMORE, Okla. – Junior forward Chris Sowder scored a brace in a 2-0 win for the Rogers State men's soccer team over Drury on Thursday (Aug. 30) as the Hillcats opened the 2018 season at Soldier Field.
 
Sowder, a Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native, totaled his two goals early in the first few minutes of the two halves, and the navy and red held control through the 90 minutes in the win against the Panthers.
 
"I thought we were really cranked up in the beginning," head coach Derek Larkin said. "We got the early goal and that helped us and we settled in. It was a good opening match against a good Drury team. He is doing a great job there. It's a good start all the way around."
 
The Hillcats went on the attack right off the opening kick as Sowder got his first shot of the game only nine seconds into the contest. The junior broke through and put the navy and red up 1-0 in the seventh minute of the game as he slotted a shot to the right corner of the goal after a through ball from Noah Robson, who tallied the assist on the goal on the game-winning tally.
 
In the opening 45 minutes, RSU kept the majority of possession and posted an 8-3 advantage in shots. The Panthers managed to only total one shot on goal as the Hillcat defense held DU in check.
 
Sowder added his second goal three minutes into the second half when his shot deflected off the goalkeeper and into the goal for a 2-0 RSU advantage in the 48th minute of the contest.
 
Dillon Dean made his first career start in goal and registered the shutout win. The sophomore made three saves and was hardly challenged as the RSU back five of Jesus Ramirez, Jeremy Hoelzer, Ellis Ashworth, Michael Turner and Logan Smith shutdown the Panther attack.  
 
For the game, the navy and red held a 14-8 lead in shots, including a 7-3 edge in shots on goal. Sowder finished with a game-high four shots while Jake Simpson and Abe Young added three shots each.
 
With the victory, RSU won its season-opening game for the third straight season with Sowder scoring the game-winning goal in two of those contests. As a freshman, Sowder totaled the game winner in a 1-0 victory over Southern Nazarene at Soldier Field.
 
The Hillcats continue their two-game homestand to start the season with Ouachita Baptist on Saturday (Sept. 1) at 2 p.m. at Soldier Field. Video streaming and live stats will be available.