HOUSTON, Texas – Ryan Okerayi's steal and smash into the back of the net in the 78th minute gave Houston Christian University a hard-earned 1-0 win over University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday night at Sorrels Field.
The two teams went toe-to-toe for most of the night, with neither team willing to concede any ground. The first half saw just five shots, with each team managing 10 each on the evening after the full 90. The Huskies would narrowly outshoot the Vaqueros 8-7 in the second half, including 5-3 on goal.
HCU would get a corner right out of the gate in the second frame, with
Theo Butterworth's header from the backside off the entry going off the post just over two minutes in. Two more chances came 10 minutes later as
Jireh Oyebamiji had a shot on target that was saved before unleashing a screamer over the top right corner of the post just seconds later.
UTRGV got a solid chance in the 68
th minute when a blast by Keaviano Francis straight on was knocked away by
Alex Aitken, one of his five saves on the evening.
In the 78th minute, the Vaqueros tried to play the ball back into their defensive end, with
Ryan Okerayi and Jaoquin Suarez getting to the ball simultaneously. The ball kicked back towards UTRGV goalie Fernando Carreon with Okerayi in hot pursuit.
Carreon got a foot on it, but it wasn't enough which allowed Okerayi to knock it away towards a wide open goal. The sophomore would then bury the ball into the back of the net from one foot away, setting off a frenzy in the corner off the HCU sideline.
Okerayi knocked home his second goal of the year, and had two shots on goal along with Rio Pembeton, to lead the hosts. Aitken's clean sheet was his first of the season and his five saves drew him within three of passing Christopher Dodd for third place all-time at HCU.
UTRGV, which falls to 2-3-0 on the season, got shots on goal from five different players. Carreon had a solid night in the pipes as well getting five saves while allowing the lone score.
HCU improves to 2-4-2 on the season and runs its unbeaten streak to three. The Huskies will now take a well-deserved ten-day hiatus before returning to Fondren Road on September 28, hosting arch-rival University of the Incarnate Word to kick off the Ohio Valley Conference slate.
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