Highlights
Harding: Jacob Stevens - 1 goal
Northeastern State: Crosby Lee & Joel Mendoza - 1 goal each

SEARCY – Northeastern State sophomore Joel Mendoza scored the game-winning goal in the seventh minute of the second overtime to lift the 6^th-ranked RiverHawks to a 2-1 victory over Harding on a muggy Tuesday night in MIAA play at the Stevens Soccer Complex.

The victory kept Northeastern State unbeaten at 4-0-2 overall and 1-0-1 in the MIAA. Harding dropped its second straight and fell to 2-3-2 overall and 1-2-0 in conference.

After a scoreless first half, Northeastern State took a 1-0 lead in the 53^rd minute. Sophomore Lee Crosby took a feed from senior Juan Gonzalez on the right side of the box and beat Harding goalkeeper Seth Peterson to the far post.

The RiverHawks held the lead until the 85^th minute. A foul 10 yards outside the box left Harding with a free kick. Junior Jacob Stevens stepped up and hammered home the free kick into the upper right corner for his second goal of the season, both on free kicks from the same area.

Neither team scored in the first overtime despite the RiverHawks outshooting the Bisons 6-0 in the 10-minute period.

In the second overtime, Northeastern State junior Juan Peralta's square pass eluded two Bison defenders and found a sprinting Mendoza, who lifted the ball over the hard-charging Peterson for the game-winner.

Harding was seeking its first-ever victory over Northeastern State in 12 meetings and its first in 19 games against nationally-ranked teams.

The Bisons will return to action Friday with their longest road trip of the season. Harding will drive 636 miles to Fayette, Iowa to take up Upper Iowa in MIAA action.