THE RUNDOWN
SHAWNEE, Okla. – Junior midfielder Ross Fitzpatrick used his head to extend Midwestern State's unbeaten streak to a 25 matches as No. 2 Midwestern State clipped No. 15 Fort Hays State (Kan.) 2-1 Thursday night at the Oklahoma Baptist Soccer Complex.

Fitzpatrick delivered the game winner in the 77th minute with a header just inside the far post off of a nicely struck free kick from Dylan Burke. With the goal, the Mustangs wrested the lead and momentum away from a fiesty Tiger squad bent on knocking off another Top 5 opponent.

Fort Hays State (2-1) handed No. 3 Rockhurst (Mo.) their first defeat of the season last week in Kansas City.
 
Midwestern State's Hikaruhito Meike wasted little time going from the bench to the score sheet.

The junior midfielder from Sendai, Japan notched the opener in his third minute on the pitch beating FHSU goalkeeper Cullen Fisch with header inside the left post in the 35th minute off of a cross from sophomore Carlos Flores.
 
Fort Hays State used one of its scored the equalizer on one of its two corner kicks of the match. Moritz Walther redirected a corner from from Ross Boyd to convert the Tigers' first shot on goal in the 64th minute. FHSU managed one more shot on frame in the closing minutes of the match.
 
MATCH NOTES
- Midwestern State extended its unbeaten streak to 25-consecutive matches with the 2-1 win over No. 15 Fort Hays
- Thursday marked the fifth-time during the streak the Mustangs defeated a team ranked in the USC top-25 (No. 16/14 St. Edward's, No. 19 Colorado Mesa, No. 8 Colorado Mines, No. 15 Fort Hays)
- The win stretches the Maroon and Gold's unbeaten streak to 10 in matches away from Stang Park
- Junior midfielder Hikaruhito Meike's goal in the 35th-minute was the first in his career with MSU Texas
- Sophomore midfielder Carlos Flores' first assist of the season was the 10th of his career
- Junior midfielder Ross Fitzpatrick netted his first career game winner and sixth overall goal
- Junior defender Dylan Burke earned his first career assist on Fitzpatrick's game winner off a free kick
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State (2-0) returns to Shawnee on Saturday to face host Oklahoma Baptist. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The match is the Mustangs' final non-conference contest this season.