LAREDO, Texas (October 19, 2017) – Rodrigo Zuniga netted his first career hat trick as the Texas A&M International University defeated Rogers State 3-0 in front of 175 fans on Thursday night handing Claudio Arias his 125^th win as TAMIU men's head coach. The Dustdevils improve to 7-4-2 and 6-4-1 in Heartland Conference while the Hillcats fall to 6-6-3 (3-5-3 HC). 
 
R. Zuniga recorded the first hat trick for a men's player since Ryan Hodgson on Oct. 29, 2016 against St. Mary's on a match-high seven shots. Alan Rivera picked up his first two assists of the season on three shots while Cem Izgec registered his first career assist on the final goal of the night. Carlos Herrera (6-2-2) made two saves en route to picking up his fifth shutout of the season.
 
Rafael Montabes just missed scoring his first of the season in the 14^th minute from just outsdiet the area after nice work from Aaron Zuniga. The Madrid Spain native's shot went just wide right hitting the RSU keepers water bottle.
 
The Hillcats' thought they had taken a 1-0 lead after Jake Simpson beat a charging Herrera on a TAMIU turnover but Luis Diaz cleared the ball off the line for a corner kick. Montabes had another chacnce in the 22^nd minute but his line drive shot from 20 yards out was saved by Walker Farrar.
 
Herrera came up big in the 34^th minute pushing Declan Fitzpatrick's long range shot pas the right post. Fitzpatrick would have another chance on the resulting corner kick but his hearder skimmed over the crossbar.
 
R. Zuniga had his best chance of the 1^st half in the 41^st minute off a nice backheel pass from Michael Iskander but Farrar was near post to deny the junior.. Rivera had another quality chance just a minute later off a corner kick but his  one time volley just insde the box was saved as well.
 
The Dustdevil struck less than minutes into the second half as R. Zuniga got on the end of Rivera's cross from the left side. It was R. Zuniga's first goal of the season and first since Oct. 10, 2015. It didn't take long for the Rivera-Zuniga to hurt the short-handed Hillcats again as R. Zuniga made it 2-0 beating Farrar to the far post after a nice ball from Rivera. The Laredo, Texas native becomes the second Dustdevil in 2017 to record a multi-goal match.
 
R. Zuniga finished the hat trick with 10 minutes left with one of the easiest goals he will score as a collegiate soccer player. Izgec set it all up after receiving a short corner kick and beating his defender to the near post before finding a wide-open R. Zuniga.
 
The Dustdevils return to action on Saturday, Oct. 21, hosting Newman. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m.