Hardin-Simmons came back from a 1-0 halftime deficit to take a 3-1 lead but HSU could not hold it as the Howard Payne Yellow Jacket soccer team battled back for a 4-3 overtime win on Friday afternoon at the HSU Soccer Complex.
Howard Payne got on the board just five minutes into the game when Luis Tamez scored on a nice play over the top by Shaun Stratton that was touched to Tamez by Paul Deets. It stayed 1-0 all through the first half.
In the second half, HSU’s Isaiah Hicks tied the game at 1-1 with a goal on a give and go with Harrison Heger. Less than two minutes later the two hooked up again, except it was Hicks feeding Heger for the goal.
Less than two minutes after that John Anumu beat his man and scored at the 52:14 mark to make it 3-1 Hardin-Simmons.
Shane Cazad then scored in the 73rd minute to make it 3-2 when he cleaned up a Tamez miss. Ben Bishop then scored off a corner over the top from about 40 yards out to tie the game at 3-3 at the 84:24 mark.
Cazad then took a deep ball that was misplayed, dribbled around a HSU defender for the game winner just 2:50 into overtime.
The game was evenly played in both halves. HPU had a 21-20 overall advantage in shots and each team had nine shots on goal. HPU had seven corners and the HSU’s five.
Kyle Huesing had six saves for HPU, including one on a penalty kick in the first half. Geoff Rittimann allowed four goals and had five saves for Hardin-Simmons.
Howard Payne improved to 8-3-1 and 6-3 in ASC action. HSU is now 7-4 on the year and 5-3 in ASC play.
With the win Howard Payne places themselves in a good position for an ASC postseason tournament spot. The Jackets will stay in Abilene to play McMurry on Saturday.
