TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Midwestern State's
Casey Hibbs' goal off of a free kick 29 seconds into overtime lifted the No. 2-ranked Mustangs to a 3-2 win over Northeastern State Friday afternoon at the NSU Soccer Field.
"All the credit goes to Northeastern," MSU coach
Doug Elder said. "They were pretty excited to be playing at home."
The RiverHawks, who fell to 2-10 overall and 1-3 in the Southwest Soccer Conference, played their last seven contests on the road and have now lost their last eight contests.
Northeastern State clawed back from a 1-0 halftime deficit to score a pair of goals in the 3-minute spurt to take a 2-1 lead with 6:50 to go.
But that's when the Mustangs got busy.
"We really pressed for the last six minutes," Elder said. "We feel pretty good about pulling it out in overtime. We hung in there and the kids showed some character."
Junior transfer
Bryan Sajjadi netted the equalizer in highlight-reel fashion as he one-timed a ball from 5 yards out on a bicycle kick
In overtime, the Mustangs pushed the ball down field on the kickoff before the RiverHawks were whistled for a foul from 25 yards out.
"We took the kickoff down the field, got fouled and Hicks buried it," Elder said.
The Mustangs dominated the first half while outshooting NSU 10-2, but led only 1-0 on
Rob Humphrey's fifth goal of the season in the 45th minute.
Midwestern, which improved to 9-1 and 1-0 in the SSC, faces Missouri Southern State in Joplin Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
