WICHITA, Kan. — With two late subs coming up big in the final minutes, the Newman men's soccer team grabbed an exciting 2-1 victory over Rogers State in the quarterfinals of the Heartland Conference Men's Soccer Championship Tuesday night at Wilkins Field.

KEY SEQUENCE

Gbonju Odukale and Chibueze Nwagwu entered the game for the first time in the 76th and 79th minute, respectively. The new boost of energy was exactly what was needed for the Jets (10-7-2), who got the game-winner against the Hillcats (10-6-3) when Odukale lofted a ball from near the right sideline that was angling toward the near post. Leaping through the air, Nwagwu stuck a volley between the right post and the RSU keeper, making it a 2-1 game with just over two minutes to play.

SCORING PLAYS

14'-NU-Tommy Fiszel, unassisted. Fiszel won a ball from a defender at the top of the box and uncorked a shot that skipped off the right post and into the net.

44'-RSU-Kevin Kwarteng, assist Chris Sowder. An initial shot by Sowder inside the box deflected in the air, and Kwarteng beat the keeper to the ball and snuck it inside the left post.

88'-NU-Chibueze Nwagwu, assist Gbonju Okukale. Okukale put up a cross from near the sideline, and Nwagwu put a perfect touch on it to beat the keeper.

HOW IT HAPPENED

-Newman put the pressure on Rogers State from the start, but didn't manage a shot until the 12th minute. Fiszel followed that up with his strike in the 14th to give the Jets the early advantage.

-The Hillcats didn't manage a shot until the 21st, but it wound up being their best chance of the game until their late first-half score. Jordan Watson beat his defender near the end line, and got off a quick, short cross to an open Jake Simpson, but his shot slipped just wide.

-Vitor Okamoto got the next chance for the Jets, uncorking a strike from about 25 yards out in the 28th that needed a save from RSU keeper Cody Gammill. That helped start one of the most open periods of the game, as the guests put their first shot on goal in the 32nd that Newman keeper Blake Andrews scooped up easily.

-Okamoto put up two shots on goal later in the half, but the Hillcats got their equalizer in the 44th. A header from Jamie Barkway off a Kieran Laking corner came less than a minute later, but sailed high.

-The second half saw more fouls and cards than quality shots, but RSU nearly took the lead in the 54th when Danny Sanchez put up a shot that clanged off the crossbar and skipped away from danger.

-Newman picked up shots from Vince Couto, Barkway and Carlos Rubio Garcia from the 65th to the 73rd, and although none were the decider, Rogers State didn't manage a shot after the 68th, allowing the Jets to get their big goal from Nwagwu and Odukale.

NOTES

-It's the third straight season that the Jets have reached the Heartland Conference semifinals. Over that stretch, the Jets are 2-1-1 in postseason play, a mark that trails only two-time defending Heartland postseason champ St. Edward's.

-Tuesday's game was the first time that a Newman soccer team hosted a postseason matchup since moving to Division II.

-The Jets move on to face top seed and regular season champ Midwestern State in Friday's semifinals. Newman is the only Heartland Conference team to defeat the Mustangs this season.

WHAT'S NEXT

Newman heads to Wichita Falls, Texas to face Midwestern State in a 7:30 p.m. semifinal Friday.