LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY at UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO – COLORADO SPRINGS
Friday Aug. 31, 2018 – 8 p.m.
Mountain Lion Stadium (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
LCU TWITTER: @LCUCHAPS
UCCS TWITTER: @GoMountainLions


CHAPS FLIGHT DECK
• Lubbock Christian University will open up their 2018 regular season campaign Friday evening as they travel to Colorado Springs, Colo. to take on University of Colorado – Colorado Springs. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. (mountain) at Mountain Lion Stadium.
• LCU formally returns to the pitch after a 5-11-2 overall record in the 2017 season.
• The Chaparrals will look to replace four starters from last season's roster.

STORY LINES
• Head coach Paul Gilbert and his staff worked hard in the offseason to add more fire power to their offense after recording 16 goals in 2017. Of their eight goal-scorers from last season, seven will be returning to the field. Louis Callaghan and Abdou Joof return for the Chaps with three goals apiece in a Lubbock Christian uniform.
• Freshman Braxton Thorne boasted an impressive preseason performance making eight saves against reigning NAIA National Champions Wayland Baptist University.
• Troubles on the offensive end of the pitch plagued the Chaps last season as they tallied three goals on the road. Throughout their 2018 preseason schedule, LCU has already recorded four away goals.
• Lubbock Christian currently holds a 4-3-1 record in season-openers with their last victory coming in the form of a 5-4 result over University of the Southwest (Sept. 5, 2016).
• The Chaps concluded the 2017 season with an eighth-place finish in the final Heartland Conference final standings.

SCOUTING UCCS
• Friday night's contest will also serve as the Mountain Lions season-opener. UCCS enters the season after closing out 2017 with a 7-8-4 overall record.
• UC-Colorado Springs found their way into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament in 2017 but fell to MSU-Denver 5-3 by way of penalty kicks in the opening round of play.  
• The Mountain Lions will be looking for success from different avenues this season as all three of their 2017 All-RMAC selections have graduated. UCCS will look to replace David Meyer who was voted RMAC Goalkeeper of the Year last season.
• UCCS recorded 24 goals, in 2017, for a 1.26 goals per game average.
• Though the Mountain Lions were able to make a post-season appearance, they were not successful against Heartland Conference member institutions last season. UC-Colorado Springs opened up their 2017 regular season campaign with three consecutive losses to HC members Texas A&M International, MSU-Texas and Eastern New Mexico.
 
SERIES HISTORY WITH UC – COLORADO SPRINGS
Friday's matchup will serve as the second ever meeting between the squads. The Mountain Lions took the first showdown with a 1-0 result over the Chaps (Sept. 2, 2016) on the UCCS campus.