Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 27, 2016) – It all set up for a potentially perfect ending for Oklahoma Christian on Senior Night at the Eagle Soccer Field, but Rogers State wanted no part of the script.

Niall Smith scored a golden goal for the Hillcats about 2½ minutes into overtime, giving Rogers State a 2-1 win over the gritty Eagles in the final home game for nine OC seniors who played major roles in helping transition from the NAIA and NCCAA into a competitive NCAA Division II program.

Rogers State (9-5-3, 6-5-2 Heartland Conference) picked up three key standings points in its battle for a spot in the league's postseason tournament, while OC (4-12-1, 2-10-1) was left to lament its seventh one-goal loss of the season.

"We played really well tonight and really worked hard," OC coach David Scott said. "It's just been little mistakes that have killed us all year and it was the same thing tonight. It's frustrating. It was a great performance tonight. I thought we fought hard and stayed organized for a majority of the night, but just made a couple of mistakes."

The game started on an emotional note for OC, thanks to a sporting gesture by Rogers State coach Derek Larkin and the Hillcats.

Senior goalkeeper Evan Helker, a four-year starter who suffered an injury in OC's previous game that will keep him out the rest of the season, started his final home game, then exited moments after the opening kickoff after the Hillcats deliberately sent the ball out of bounds. Sophomore Gary Goldsboro Jr. went the rest of the way in goal for OC, making five saves.

"He stepped in and played well in tough conditions," Scott said of Goldsboro.

Rogers State outshot OC 18-12 and had more possession for most of the game than the Eagles, but OC had spurts – particularly late in both halves – where it threatened.

After a scoreless first half, the Hillcats went up 1-0 in the 53rd minute. Smith tapped a pass back to Kevin Kwarteng, who shot left-to-right from about 10 yards out and beat Goldsboro.

OC equalized in the 80th minute. Rogers State goalkeeper Cody Gammill came off his line to try and break up and OC possession, but collided with his teammate, Ellis Ashworth, and was caught out of position. OC forward Anthony Buchanan, spotting an open goal, slid a pass over to senior Taylor Vanderford, who blasted the ball into the net for his second goal of the season and sixth of his career.

The Eagles kept pressure on for the rest of regulation, but couldn't break through again against Gammill, who made five saves.

In the 93rd minute, Smith collected an uncleared ball, touched it once to escape a pair of OC defenders, then fired past Goldsboro from about 12 yards out to end the game.

"It was unfortunate it was that quick into overtime, but that's the way it goes," Scott said.

Along with Helker and Vanderford, the other seniors honored before the game included Seth Brown, Cody Cook, Sergio Flores, Cole Rinke, Ante Susic, Troy Tippeconnic and Cesar Zepeda.

OC will wrap up its season on Saturday with a game at No. 11-ranked Midwestern State (Texas).