FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State improved to 8-2-2 overall and 6-0 in the GAC on Thursday night at FHSU Soccer Stadium. The No. 13 ranked Tigers posted a 4-0 shutout against Newman to finish their first rotation through conference play unbeaten. Newman fell to 3-9 overall and 2-4 in the GAC.
The Tigers ran their win streak against GAC opponents to 13-straight matches with the result, including 10-straight in GAC regular season play. The Tigers are unbeaten in 28-straight GAC regular season contests going back to the 2024 season.
Fort Hays State scored twice in each half and recorded the shutout while holding Newman to just two shots on goal. Juan Linares and Francesco Valenti did all of the scoring with two goals each.
Valenti put the Tigers on the board in the 12th minute, cleaning up a saved shot by Davide Francesca, who picked up an assist on the play. The Tigers scored their second goal in the 17th minute on a penalty kick by Linares after Valenti was fouled in the box on an offensive opportunity. Payton Roehrich picked up his pair of saves in the first half to keep the Jets scoreless.
In the 69th minute, the Tigers had another play where a rebound off a shot led to a goal. Valenti fired a shot that was saved by a Newman defender with the goalkeeper out of position, but Linares was there to clean up the rebound and make it 3-0. FHSU wrapped the scoring in the 82nd minute when a throw in by Max Honcharevich glanced off Mathis Gaultier and then found the foot of Valenti at point-black range.
Marco Rosa played the final 12 and a half minutes in goal but did not have to make any saves to notch another combined shutout with Roehrich. It was their third shared shutout of the season. Mathis Lefevre, a former Tiger keeper now with the Jets, recorded six saves.
Fort Hays State travels to Rogers State this Saturday (Oct. 10) for a big conference matchup. The Hillcats are currently in second place in the GAC standings at 4-2.
Fort Hays State Top Performers
Francesco Valenti – 2 goals, 1 assist, 5 points, 1 game-winning goal
Juan Linares – 2 goals, 4 points
Payton Roehrich - 2 saves, 3rd combined shutout of season
Davide Francesca – 1 assist
Max Honcharevich – 1 assist
Mathis Gaultier – 1 assist