🆚 Lindenwood University
📆 Sunday, October 4, 2026
⏰ 1 pm CT
🏟️ Hunter Stadium – St. Charles, Missouri
📺
WATCH
📈 LIVE STATS
🗒 GAME NOTES
Houston Christian University finishes its quick weekend away from home with a Sunday matinee in St. Charles, Missouri when it faces Lindenwood University. Kick-off at Hunter Stadium is scheduled for 1 pm, and it marks the first meeting between HCU and the defending OVC champs since last year's epic double-overtime penalty shootout championship match.
HCU, is led by Head Coach
Ryan Pratt, now in his 10th season at the helm. The Huskies remain 3-4-2 overall and 1-0-0 in OVC play following the suspension of Thursday night's match at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The match was halted 21:42 into the first half with the Vaqueros ahead 1-0 due to persistent lightning and torrential rain.
A very defensive first half then opened up as the second half progressed in the latest chapter between the two I-10 rivals with HCU's win knotting the all-time series with the Cardinals. The first 45 minutes saw just six shots total, with each team holding strong in their final third. The only shot on goal came from
Clarenns Sainrimat with 45 seconds remaining in the half, an attempt saved by Victor Salmeron.
This is the fourth year of men's soccer in the Ohio Valley Conference, and the Huskies are coming off a second straight runner-up finish. HCU went 11-5-3 overall in 2025 and advanced to the OVC title match where it fell at Lindenwood to the Lions in a penalty kick shootout. It was the most victories in a single season since the 1990 team won 14. HCU is now 12-9-9 in three seasons in the OVC, including a 10-5-5 mark in league play over these past two runner-up seasons.
Through nine matches, the Huskies are still searching for some consistency on offense, as the two goals against UIW was just the second time this season with multiple scores in a game.
Ryan Okerayi lead the club with three goals, with
Callum Niven chipping in two and
Clarenns Sainrimat and
Nico Kross recording a goal each for HCU. Okerayi's goal against UIW was the 24th of his career as he ranks seventh all-time. He is now one assist away from the top 10 in that category while also ranking seventh in all-time points.
The defense, beleaguered by injuries much of the non-conference season, fought through a gauntlet of a non-conference schedule and looks to solidify itself as it gets healthy.
Nico Kross, an All-OVC first-team selection in 2025, has held down the backline and earned Defensive Player of the Week honors two weeks ago.
Hans Leza returned to the pitch against FGCU after missing four games, and he is now just 20 minutes away from the 5,000 mark for his career, ranking eighth in minutes played in program history.
Harvey Heeps has been solid in his debut season in the pipes after taking over from OVC Goalkeeper of the Year
Alex Aitken. He has 35 saves over the first nine matches, including a career-high nine against both then No. 5 SMU and Grand Canyon. He has been named Keeper of the Week twice and currently ranks second in both saves and saves per game in the league.
The Huskies and Lions will be meeting for the sixth time, all coming since the start of OVC soccer in 2023. The two schools have so far played to an even 1-1-3 mark. Sunday's matinee is a rematch of the 2025 OVC Championship match in which the Lions claimed their first conference title, advancing on penalties 4-2 in a double-overtime thriller.
Kris Bertsch is in his fourth season at the helm in St. Charles. The Lions went 14-3-4 in winning the league and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2025. Lindenwood currently sits at 4-2-4 overall and 1-0-1 in conference action after Thursday night's 2-0 victory at home against University of the Incarnate Word.
Lindenwood returns Luca Bartoni for his fifth season. Bartoni was the 2025 OVC Forward of the Year and a First-Team All-OVC selection who was also selected as the OVC Tournament MVP. He currently leads the club and sits in a tie atop the league with five goals. The Lions also return one of the top defenders in the conference in senior Luke Neely, who made the 2025 OVC All-Tournament team and leads LU with two assists.
Senior forwards Ryan Holmes and David Magalhaes as well as freshman forward Philip Viberg Rasmussen each have two goals.
The Lions also return one of the top netminders in the conference in Quinn Clossen. The fifth-year took over midway through the 2025 season and went 8-0-1 while being named three-time OVC Goalkeeper of the Week. He is 4-2-4 on the year with 25 saves over 10 matches while allowing just six goals.
Following the match at Lindenwood, the Huskies will return to Fondren Road for a pair of matches next week. The Huskies will welcome University of Southern Indiana to Sorrels Field on Thursday night, followed by another Sunday matinee against SIUE at 1 pm.
#DawgsUp
