WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Nick Auditore celebrated Senior Day with a pair of goals to lead 10th-ranked Midwestern State to a 4-1 win over Northeastern State Sunday afternoon at the MSU Soccer Field.
The win clinches at least a share of the Lone Star Conference championship for the Mustangs, who finish the regular season at 13-1-3 overall and 4-0-2 in conference.
MSU, which is idle next week, will take its fourth-straight conference title outright if Northeastern State can upend West Texas A&M Sunday in Canyon.
The Mustangs then await the NCAA Division II Selection Show which is set for Monday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m.
The top two teams from the South Central Region and the top two sides from the Central Region (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) will meet at the site of the Central Region's top-ranked team on the weekend of Nov. 13.
The Mustangs were all business in extending its overall unbeaten streak to 16 and its unbeaten run at the MSU Soccer Field to 20.
Senior midfielder
Tyler Murphy tapped in a rebound in the eighth minute after senior striker
Bryan Sajjadi pounded a shot off of NSU keeper Matt Murrell to give MSU a 1-0 lead.
Then it was Auditore's time to shine as the senior forward from Phoenix completed a nice combination in the midfield as
Kyle Hyden threaded a pass to
Reid Schmitt who fed it forward to Sajjadi at the top of the box.
Sajjadi made a nice touch and put at the feet of Auditore, who drilled his ninth goal of the season in the 16th minute to put MSU up 2-0.
Auditore's 10th came before intermission as sophomore midfielder
Casey Hibbs went over the top of the NSU defense to a striding Auditore to give the Mustangs a 3-0 lead in the 43rd minute.
Northeastern broke up the Mustangs' bid for their 13th shutout when Alex Novoa headed in a loose ball in the box off of Zach Schmoker's corner kick to cut the MSU advantage to 3-1 with seven minutes to play.
The Mustangs finished strong as Hibbs finished a cross from
Bryce Taylor for his first goal of the season in the 88th minute.
Northeastern State dropped 8-8 on the season in to 0-4 in the LSC.
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-- MSUMustangs.com --