Game 19

vs #13 Rogers State
Thursday, November 13th | 6:00 PM | Hays, Kan. 
Live Video | Live Stats

 
Last Time Out
The Jets hosted No. 5-ranked Fort Hays State for a Thursday night matchup but came up just short, falling 3-2 to the Tigers. Both teams were held scoreless through the first half, with the Jets outshooting the Tigers 5-3. Newman forced two saves from the FHSU goalkeeper, while Francisco Pinochet matched that effort with two saves of his own to keep the game level heading into halftime, 0-0. The Jets struck first early in the second half, breaking the deadlock in the 49th minute when Yohsuke Ono found the back of the net off a long assist from Pinochet. Newman doubled its lead soon after, as Daiki Okada capitalized on a deflection inside the box, with Gabriel Dias Juliani credited with the assist. Fort Hays State responded in the 64th minute to cut the deficit to one, then leveled the match at 2-2 just four minutes later. The Tigers took their first lead in the 78th minute on a goal from Juan Linares. Despite the Jets' efforts to find an equalizer in the closing minutes, time ran out, and Newman fell narrowly to No. 5 Fort Hays State, 3-2.

The Jets clinched a postseason berth in Saturday's match against Northeastern State, earning a 1-1 draw with the RiverHawks. Both sides were held scoreless through the first half, with Newman outshooting NSU 4-2. The Jets forced two saves from the RiverHawks' goalkeeper, while Francisco Pinochet recorded two saves of his own to keep the match level at halftime, 0-0. After applying consistent offensive pressure early in the second half, the Jets broke through in the 63rd minute. Following a flurry of three shots and two corner kicks, Gibran Villalobos found the back of the net to give Newman a 1-0 lead. Northeastern State responded in the 73rd minute with an equalizer from Ethan VanDusen to even the match at 1-1. Tomas Melon nearly regained the lead for the Jets in the 86th minute, but his shot was unable to find the target. Despite several late pushes, the match ended in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, securing the Jets' spot in the postseason.


Scouting the Jets 
The Jets enter the postseason with a 7-5-6 record, earning the No. 3 seed in the GAC Tournament. Leading the offensive charge is Gabriel Dias Juliani, who tops the team in goals (18), points (18), shots on goal (14), and game-winning goals (3). Gregoire Henri and Yohsuke Ono follow as the Jets' next leading scorers, with Henri netting five goals and Ono adding four. Eduardo Dos Santos has been the team's primary playmaker, recording a team-high eight assists. 14 different Jets have found the back of the net this season, helping the team rank second in the GAC for total goals scored. In goal, Francisco Pinochet has been a steady presence, starting 17 of the team's 18 matches and posting a 6-5-6 record. His 71 saves rank second among all GAC goalkeepers.

Behind Enemy Lines
The Hillcats enter the GAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed after finishing the regular season with a 12-2-4 record. Rogers State rides a three-match winning streak into postseason play, closing out the regular season with victories over Harding and Northeastern State. Offensively, the Hillcats rank third in the GAC with 29 goals scored. Brandon O'Rourke leads the team with five goals, followed by Oliver Hemlin with four. In total, 14 different Hillcats have found the back of the net this season. Louis Bassett has been the team's top facilitator, tallying a team-high six assists. In goal, Jaxon Kendall has played every minute of the season for Rogers State, compiling a 12-2-4 record and recording 60 saves.

The Series
The Jets are 5-15-3 against the Hillcats historically, having dropped the teams' first meeting this season before tying 1-1 on October 23rd.

Next Up
With a win, the Jets would advance to the GAC Tournament Final on Saturday at 1 p.m., where they would face the winner of Fort Hays State and Northeastern State.