CLAREMORE, Okla. | Soldier Field - McKendree University men's soccer (RV) (0-1-0) opened up its season on the road, battling sixth-ranked Rogers State but was unable to come up with a result as it fell, 1-0. The Bearcats and HillCats have faced off in non-conference play each of the last three years, with the 2026 result pushing the series to a deadlocked 1-1-1 record for the programs. McKendree continues its opening road trip with a neutral ground contest at RSU against Southern Nazarene in Claremore on Saturday at 12:30PM. The Bearcats and SNU have battled the last three years with McKendree owning the series, 2-1, thus far.
The Bearcats and HillCats have met repeatedly over the last few years with both programs maintaining votes in the top 25 consistently, making it a marquee matchup every fall. The first half of Thursday's bout saw McKendree settle back into its defensive style while holding strong with three saves by
Filip Borka in goal. The first 45 minutes of action had the game knotted at 0-0 with McKendree putting up two on-frame shots and just one corner kick versus RSU's 11 shots and four corners.
McKendree's second half was a push in the attacking third as the squad fired seven shots with three on-goal while RSU broke through in the 63rd minute with a score, making it 1-0 in favor of the adversary. The Bearcats fought through until the final whistle but were unable to come up with the equalizer late, falling in the one-goal contest. Eight Bearcats tallied a shot with seven putting at least one on-frame.
UP NEXT | Non-Conference Play & Results
August 27 | L, 1-0 at No.6 Rogers State | Soldier Field - Claremore, Oklahoma
August 29 | 12:00PM vs Southern Nazarene (neutral site) | Soldier Field - Claremore, Oklahoma |
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September 3 | 2:00PM at No.21 Cedarville | Yellow Jacket Soccer Complex - Cedarville, Ohio |
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