RSU's Simpson Nets Hat Trick As #25 Hillcats Roar Past Harding 6-0

 

October 11, 2019



CLAREMORE, Okla. – Jake Simpson scored a hat trick to help propel the No. 25 Rogers State Men's Soccer team to a 6-0 victory over Harding University in a battle of two of the top three teams in the Great American Conference Standings.

Less than six minutes into the game, Simpson scored in his fourth straight game with his eighth goal of the season to put RSU in front. Simpson took a pass from Chris Sowder and then bent a ball from outside the box around Carlos Calderon and just inside the right post for the go-ahead goal.

In the 11th minute, it was Sowder's turn to score for the Hillcats as he netted his first goal of the season to double the lead for the home side. Jaxon Pitt played a ball into Sowder, who beat Calderon from near the penalty spot.

The Hillcats made it 3-0 inside the first 18 minutes of the game as Pitt would score his third goal of the season. Noah Robson and Simpson connected on passes leading up to Pitt, who turned and fired a shot into the top right corner from well outside the penalty area. Robson's assist moved him into a tie for second on the career assist list at RSU with 17.

A few minutes later, the match would be delayed due to a lightning storm that passed by the field. After a short delay, Rogers State would pick up where they left off, adding another goal before halftime against the Harding team that was receiving votes in this week's Top 25 poll.

Callum Hubble scored in his second straight game as he put a penalty kick into the top corner with 2:02 remaining in the half. Luc Schade drew the foul to earn the spot kick.

In the second half, Simspon would get his second goal of the game, marking his first multi-goal game of the season, as he smashed a shot from the corner of the penalty area past a diving Calderon, who was able to get a hand to the shot but unable to keep it out of the net.

Less than three minutes later, Michael Turner would win a penalty kick, drawing a foul in the six-yard box. Simpson would step up and score the penalty to earn the hat trick.

Simpson's hat trick is just the eighth in school history and the first since Niall Masterson also had a hat trick against Harding, on September 13, 2015. Simpson is also just the fourth player to record at least seven points in a single game.

Simpson's 10 goals on the season are the fourth most for a Hillcat in a single year. He also moved up to third on the career goals list with 23 and fourth on the career points list with 53.

The Hillcat defense put together their third-straight shutout, lowering their already GAC best goals against average to 0.88. Thursday's shutout against Harding is the second-straight shutout for RSU against a team receiving votes in the Top 25 poll, as RSU also shutout Northeastern State last week.

Austin Wormell stopped both shots he faced over the first 45 minutes of action. Harding recorded five shots in the second half, but none of them were on target to test Dillon Dean who came in and played in goal after halftime.

The Hillcats allowed just eight total shots from Harding in the game and did not allow a corner kick from the Bison.

Rogers State will be back on the road on Saturday to wrap up the first half of the Great American Conference season with a trip to Arkadelphia, Arkansas to face Ouachita Baptist. The Hillcats will kickoff with the Tigers at 1 p.m.

 

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