SEARCY – No. 15 Northeastern State had three different players scored goals and defeated Harding 3-0 on Thursday in MIAA action at Stevens Field.
Leading 2-0 at halftime, Northeastern State put the game away in the 64th minute. Harding goalkeeper Thomas Shults fouled Juan Peralta in the box, and senior midfielder Jordan Schmoker scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season on the ensuing penalty kick.
The loss dropped Harding to 2-6-2 overall and 2-4-1 in the MIAA. The Bisons have seven points and are in fifth place in the conference, one spot out of the fourth MIAA Tournament spot. Harding remained two points behind fourth-place Upper Iowa, who lost 1-0 at home to Lindenwood.
Northeastern State remained undefeated in conference. The RiverHawks are 10-3-0 overall and 8-0-0 in MIAA action. Northeastern State has a six-point lead over second-place Fort Hays State, who Harding hosts Saturday at 1 p.m.
Northeastern State took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute. Juan Peralta's shot deflected off a Harding defender to Chris Mendez. His shot from the right side of the box curled inside the far post for his third goal of the season.
The RiverHawks scored their second goal with only 42 seconds remaining in the half. Jonathan Guzman crossed the ball from the right side to Trevor Reed who took a touch over to Michael Greenfield. He scored his first goal of the season inside the left post.
Harding had two solid scoring changes in the first half. In the 26th minute, Dylan Sherrill's shot from the right side of the box hit the left post, and in the 34th minute, Cole Walker's shot from the top of the box crashed off the cross bar.
The Bisons had 12 shots, but only two were on goal with Jackson Buchanan and Gehrig Haberstock each forcing a save from RiverHawk goalkeeper Jackson Biles.
Harding started Tyler Melson at goalkeeper, but a collision with a Northeastern State player less than two minutes into the game forced Melson out of action. Shults replaced Melson and had four saves.
