CLAREMORE, Okla. — No. 9 Rogers State Men's Soccer (4-0-1) handled in-state foe Oklahoma Christian 2-0 on Wednesday night at Soldier Field. RSU scored once in each half and recorded the shutout behind five saves.
RSU broke through in the 39th minute when
Jamie Kennedy (2) scored the first half's only goal, sending the Hillcats into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Earlier, RSU created pressure with two corner kicks in the opening nine minutes and tested Dante Caffaro in the 17th minute, when
Mario Lopez Ayuso put a shot on target before
Louis Bassett missed high moments later. Lopez Ayuso hit the top woodwork at 18:27, while
Tristan Miller kept the Eagles off the board with a save on Igor Caballero in the 27th minute. After Kennedy's goal, the Hillcats nearly added another when Kennedy struck the right woodwork in the 41st minute, then earned a corner in the 42nd minute before closing the half ahead by one.
Lopez Ayuso gave RSU the second-half breakthrough in the 56th minute with his first career goal, finishing off a
Sam Ryder assist to move the score to 2-0. Earlier,
Gian Filizzola forced. The Eagles answered with pressure, including two shots saved by Miller in a four-second span in the 63rd minute and additional chances off second-half corners. RSU generated another stretch of chances in the 76th and 77th minutes, with Bassett missing wide and
Brandon O'Rourke putting two shots on frame that Caffaro saved. Miller added late saves on former Hillcat
Kenzo Shabazz-Edwards in the 82nd and 87th minutes, helping the Hillcats close out the half and the match with a 2-0 scoreline.
Kennedy scored the match-winning goal on two shots. Lopez Ayuso added a goal and put two of his three shots on frame. Ryder recorded an assist. Miller made five saves over 90 minutes and finished with a shutout.
The Hillcats will return to action at home on Saturday to take on the St. Mary's Rattlers. Kickoff from Soldier Field is slated for 5 p.m.
