EDINBURG, Texas – Ryan Okerayi's knocked home a penalty kick in the 88th minute that gave Houston Christian University a hard-fought 1-0 victory over rival University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Wednesday night at UTRGV Soccer Complex. It marks the second straight season that HCU has bested the Vaqueros by one-nil on a late score from Okerayi, who tallied in the 78th minute last year at Sorrels Field.
 
The two teams engaged in a very physical defensive struggle from the onset, with just 16 total shots taken. The game was scoreless at the half, but HCU started to put more runs together in the final third of the contest, eventually resulting in the game-winning sequence.
 
With just under three minutes remaining, the Huskies got a steal near midfield from Ian Belong, who then quickly played the ball ahead, slicing it into open space through a pair of defenders. Ryan Okerayi collected the ball off a missed tackle from the final defender and then drew out the UTRGV keeper.
 
A poke to the left inside was the box was met by a takedown just as Okerayi was preparing to shoot. The penalty was awarded and was calmly placed into the lower right corner with 2:27 left on the board.
 
HCU was outshot for the first time this season 9-7, but six of the shots were on target compared to just four by the host Vaqueros..
 
Okerayi had three shots, all on goal, and collected his team-best fifth goal of the season and 17th of his career. It comes one day shy of one full year removed of Okerayi's game-winner last season against the Vaqueros, as his steal and smash in the 78th minute last year provided the same outcome, a one-nil result at Sorrels Field.
 
Alex Aitken posted his fourth clean sheet of the season, collecting four saves while facing nine shots.
 
Emiliano Abboud had three shots and keeper Alexis Gonzalez posted five saves for the Vaqueros (0-5), who will join HCU in the OVC in 2026.
 
The Huskies are now 5-2 on the season, the best non-conference record since 2013, when HCU also went 5-2. HCU now faces a nine-day break before the road stretch continues with the start of OVC play on September 26.
 
HCU will travel to the Alamo City for the conference opener against longtime archrival University of the Incarnate Word, whom the Huskies have faced off with 21 times, the second-most played series in school history behind UTRGV, with tonight's matchup being the 26th all-time.  
 
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