Box Score BELTON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' men's soccer team fell in the American Southwest Conference Championship game to Concordia 4-3 in penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw played at the host site of UMHB.
The Cowboys took the lead in the 24th minute off the foot of Jaden Barwell assisted by Jakob Fiol in a most peculiar goal. Fiol had beaten a man heading towards goal and was taken down quite forcibly and assumed a foul. The referee pointed to signal a play on, and the heads-up Barnwell swept in to score in the confusion, making it a 1-0 Cowboy lead.
The Cowboys bunkered down with the lead with a physical defensive effort, but Melvin Molina hit a surprising ball from way out to score the equalizer for Concordia in the 66th minute, making it 1-1.
After full time, the Cowboys had some near misses in the overtime periods but were kept off the board and finished in a draw, forcing a penalty kick shootout with the Tornados to decide the champion.
The game will officially go down as a tie. Concordia edged out the Cowboys 4-3 in PKs to win the ASC Championship.
Hardin-Simmons' Austin Wills, Osi Gutierrez, and Jaden Barnwell were all named to the ASC all-tournament team.
The Cowboys took ten shots with six on the frame. Concordia put out 21 shots with 11 on goal in the contest. The Tornados led with seven corners to five for the Cowboys. A very physical game from both sides, with seven yellow cards given and 18 total fouls.
Reid Applewhite played the full time in goal for HSU with eight saves. Concordia started Joshua Redding with five saves in full time. Each team swapped keepers for the PKs, the Cowboys with Trent Ivy and the Tornados with Arlen Oni.
The Cowboys end the season at 9-6-3 and runner-up in the ASC Championship tournament. This was the final game for seniors Nick Tudgay, Makenson Cadet, and Andrew Vasquez and we thank them for their time with Cowboy Soccer and wish them all the best.
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