LUBBOCK, Texas (October 6, 2014) – Senior Stewart MacDonell's penalty kick conversion in the second half to help Lubbock Christian University regain a lead they had relinquished on a penalty kick goal two minutes prior helped the Chaparrals open Heartland Conference play with a 3-1 victory over University of Texas of the Permian Basin Monday at LCU Soccer Field.

LCU had a 1-0 lead early, as Mitchell Hopkins produced his second goal of the season 8:56 into the contest. The lead held until the 75th minute. A foul and a yellow card on Chance McCarter in the box resulted in a penalty kick for the Falcons. Nathan Cotterell took the shot for UTPB and converted for his fifth goal of the season. Just 2:11 later, the Falcons committed a foul in the box resulting in a penalty shot for LCU. It was the first penalty kick opportunity for the Chaps on the season and MacDonnel converted on the opportunity for his second goal of the season. Tristan Wehner helped LCU with some breathing room in the 81st minute with his second goal of the season. He ripped a feed, from Victor Dominguez, five yards beyond the top left side of the box and into the right side of the goal for a 3-1 lead.

Senior goalkeeper Tim Saucedo made his first start in goal for LCU since Oct. 25, 2012 and it was his fourth career start. He claimed his first win of the season and third of his career, stopping three of four shots on goal. LCU led in shots 14-11 and shots on goal 5-4. Saucedo improves 1-0-0 on the season and garners his first win since Nov. 1, 2011 (at Wayland Baptist). Eric Beltran took the loss (1-6-1), allowing three goals on five shots faced.

LCU improved to 4-0-1 all-time in conference openers and they open this season's conference mark with a 1-0-0 record. They are 3-3-1 overall on the season, while UTPB fell to 1-6-1 with a 0-1-0 conference start. The Chaps are now unbeaten (2-0-1) in their last three games, but the streak will be tested Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. facing Texas A&M International in Laredo, Texas.