FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
HAYS, Kan. – The No. 21 ranked Fort Hays State women’s soccer team earned a share of the MIAA Regular Season Championship with Central Missouri on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Washburn. The Tigers closed the regular season with a program-record eight consecutive wins, moving to 14-3-1 overall and 8-6 in the MIAA.
The 14 wins in the season ties the single-season record at FHSU as the Tigers will look to break that mark in the MIAA Tournament starting Wednesday (Nov. 2) at home. FHSU posted its sixth shutout in the last seven matches and 11th overall for the season.
The Tigers broke a scoreless tie in the 53rd minute when senior Dani Harris took a loose ball, headed it over the defense and tracked it down to bury a goal in the lower right corner of the net. From there, the Tigers would not be denied the program’s first conference regular season title.
Silvana Romero added to the lead at the 70:26 mark with her second goal of the season. About 35 yards out, Reagan Lawler rifled a free kick that the sprawling Ichabod keeper was able to deflect. But the ball deflected right to Romero who was waiting to tap it in from five yards out.
Exactly 1:01 later Thalya Dwyer sealed the match, extending the lead to 3-0. After a sequence of events that resulted with the Washburn goalkeeper 20 yards away from the net, Jasmine Beaulieu gave a pass to Dwyer who sent long shot from 40 yards out into the back of the net.
The Tigers will be the No. 2 seed in the MIAA Tournament after Central Missouri defeated Missouri Western on Sunday to claim a share of the regular season crown. Both FHSU and UCM finished 10-1 in MIAA play, but UCM will be the No. 1 seed due to its win over FHSU in conference play. The Tigers will play host to No. 7 seed Missouri Western at 6 pm on Wednesday. The highest seed remaining after the first round matches hosts the remainder of the MIAA Tournament.
The FHSU women now have two MIAA Championships in the program’s sixth year of existence. The Tigers also won the MIAA Tournament title in 2012.