No.18 MIDWESTERN STATE (7-2-1, 5-1-0) at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (2-7-1, 1-4-1)
Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016 – 3 p.m.
LCU Soccer Field (Lubbock, Texas)
LCU TWITTER: @LCUchaps, @LCUmensSoccer
MSU TWITTER: @MSUmustangs, @MSUmustangsFC
NSCAA South Central Regional Rankings
LCU: N/A
MSU: 2 (No.18 nationally)
CHAPS FLIGHT DECK
• After playing eight of their first 10 games away from home, the Chaparrals finally play back at home, hosting No.18 Midwestern State for a Heartland Conference contest.
• The Chaparrals are 2-7-1 on the season and are 1-4-1 in Heartland Conference play after a 2-1 loss at Eastern New Mexico Saturday. The Chaps are tied at the bottom of the Heartland Conference standings (4 points) and are in last in the West Division (0-2-0 / 0 points, four points behind division leading West Texas A&M).
• LCU, who went 2-4-2 at home last season and are 1-0-1 at home this season, is 7-6-1 all-time in Heartland Conference home games (LCU went 1-3-0 last season at home in conference play). LCU is 27-15-8 all-time overall at home.
STORY LINES
• The Chaps are 18-12-1 all-time in Heartland Conference contests. LCU is 3-7-2 against nationally ranked programs, with a 3-0 loss at No.5 St. Edward's (Sept. 22) marking as the last game against a ranked foe. LCU is 1-0-0 against programs ranked No.18, as they defeated then-No.18 Texas Wesleyan on Sept. 21, 2013.
• LCU is seeking to end a program-record five-game winless streak (0-4-1). Their last win was Sept. 15 at home against Rogers State. Four of the five games in the sequence have been on the road.
• The Chaps rank 23
rd nationally in fouls per game, with an average of 9.5 per contest.
• It has been a tale of two halves for LCU in goal differential. LCU is level with their opponents in the second half (6-6), but have been outscored 9-2 in the opening half this season. Of the nine goals LCU has allowed in the first half of games this season, two have come in the opening five minutes, three have come in the opening 10 minutes and five have come in the opening 15 minutes.
• With two game winning goals on the season,
Cody Graves ranks tied for 39
th nationally in the category.
•
Fernando Rios, ranking 30
th nationally in saves (43), is 20
th nationally in goalkeeping minutes played with a conference leading 920:00.
SCOUTING MSU
• The Mustangs are coming off a 17-1-1 mark last season. They are 7-2-1 to start off this season, which includes a 5-1-0 conference record.
• MSU, who went 4-0-1 last season on the road, is 3-1-1 on the road this season. They are coming off a 4-0 home win over St. Mary's Saturday for their second straight win.
• The Heartland Conference has MSU preseason picked first in the conference preseason poll. This is their first season affiliated with the Heartland Conference in men's soccer, as their other sports compete in the Lone Star Conference.
• With two shutout wins in their previous three games, MSU comes in with a shutout sequence of 206:14. They rank 38
th nationally with shutouts in 40 percent of their contests.
• The Mustangs rank third nationally with 20.1 shots per game.
SERIES HISTORY WITH MSU
• MSU leads the all-time series 1-0-1.
• Last season, LCU and MSU played to an entertaining 2-2 2OT tie. MSU, entering the game 7-0-0 and carrying a No.2 national ranking, took a 2-0 first half lead, but LCU, playing the final 31 minutes shorthanded due to a red card, came back to tie the game 2-2. It was played Oct. 5, 2015 at Frenship High School due to unplayable conditions at LCU Soccer Field. LCU is 0-0-1 against MSU in matches in Lubbock.
