TAHLEQUAH – Brandon Fuenmayor scored a last-second goal on Thursday evening, sending the Northeastern State men's soccer team to its third GAC/MIAA Championship match. The RiverHawks will take on top-seeded Fort Hays State on Saturday at noon in Hays. A win would send them to the NCAA postseason for the first time since 2018.

The RiverHawks (8-9-1) last played in the Championship game in 2021. That year was unusual because they reached the finals twice, as the 2020 season was moved to spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fort Hays State (14-2-3) reached the championship after a 4-1 win over Southern Nazarene on Thursday evening and is ranked No. 12 in the nation. The Tigers are 9-1 at home this season and have won eight straight. In their regular-season matchup, the RiverHawks kept the Tigers scoreless for 50 minutes but lost 2-1.

Carter Adams and Harry Tremblez are tied for fourth in the league with five goals each. Adams is also fifth overall with 13 points. Miguel Carrasquinho is second in the league with 2.78 shots per game.