FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State ran its record to 8-0-2 overall and 4-0-0 in GAC play with a 5-0 shutout of Harding on Thursday evening at FHSU Soccer Stadium. The No. 7 ranked Tigers scored three of their five goals off headers in the box. Oliver Wright and Elias Ovelar Semeniuk both provided two goals in the match, while Juan Linares also got in on the scoring act.
Fort Hays State extended its longest streak without a loss to open a season in program history, remaining unbeaten for the first 10 contests this year. The Tigers did it in dominating fashion, outshooting the Bisons 21-2 in the match. FHSU held HU without a shot in the first half before they found two attempts in the second half.
Fort Hays State took control early in the first half, capitalizing on a throw in by Joseph Street in the sixth minute to set up a header by Wright for his first goal of the season. A near replay of the same sequence about 13 minutes later occurred when Wright headed another ball in off a throw in by Street. Ovelar Semeniuk added a third goal in the 31st minute, capping a dominant half where the Tigers outshot the Bisons 13-0.
The lead grew in the 55th minute when Semeniuk scored with a header in the box off a free kick assist from Tadhg Walsh. It was his 10th goal of the season, which tied him for second-best in the nation. Juan Linares capped the scoring in the 78th minute with a nifty move past a defender, allowing him to fire off a shot for the fifth goal of the match.
Along with their dominance in the shot count, FHSU had 12 corner kick opportunities to none for Harding. Payton Roehrich played the first 61 minutes of the match before yielding to Simon Niksch for the final 29. Neither had to make a save to earn the combined shutout. Fort Hays State now has seven shutouts in 10 matches this season. Wright, Linares, Ovelar Semeniuk, and Dalton Cates all tied for the team lead in shots with three each.
Up next
Looking ahead, Fort Hays State will host Ouachita Baptist for another GAC contest on Saturday, October 11 at noon.