HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State Tigers took down the No. 17 ranked team in the country, Southern Nazarene, on a beautiful fall evening (Nov. 2) at FHSU Soccer Stadium. The Tigers came out victorious scoring two second half goals, while holding the high-octane offense of the Crimson Storm scoreless.

Before the match, The Tigers commemorated five seniors for their hard work and dedication to the program. The seniors included Inigo Jimenez, Chris Rios-Cruz, Anders Sandsto, Christian Sanchez, and Tyler Lockhart.  

The initial half of the game was characterized by strong defensive performances from both teams, with neither side managing to find the back of the net. Both goalkeepers, Andrej Krivokapic for the Crimson Storm and Ben Dixon for the Tigers, made important saves to maintain their respective teams' parity.
 
As the match entered the second half, the anticipation continued to build. In the 55th minute, the Tigers were awarded a crucial penalty kick from a handball in the box, which was expertly executed by Blake Arndt granting them a pivotal lead. The Tigers were not content with just one goal. In the 66th minute, Blake Arndt showcased his scoring prowess once more, this time threading the needle off a free-kick assist from Tadhg Walsh, extending the Tiger lead to 2-0.
 
Southern Nazarene battled valiantly but could not crack the Tiger defense, anchored by Ben Dixon in goal. With just 10 minutes left in the match, senior Chris Rios-Cruz made a jaw dropping team save after Ben Dixon had to leave his position in goal. The team save helped keep the Crimson Storm scoreless and the match concluded with Fort Hays State triumphing, with a final score of 2-0 over Southern Nazarene.
 
The victory improved Fort Hays State's season record to 8-6-2, with a conference record of 7-2-2, while Southern Nazarene's record moved to 11-4-2, with a conference record of 9-2-0. The Tigers are currently second in the conference, with Rogers State and Northeastern State trailing closely. The Tigers will end their season in Claremore, where they will face off against Rogers State on Saturday (Nov. 4).