LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (7-3-1, 3-1-1) at
UT PERMIAN BASIN (3-8-0, 1-4-0)
Thursday, October 17 – 7 p.m.
UTPB Soccer Field – Odessa, Texas
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS

• Although Thursday's match is against fellow Lone Star Conference member UT Permian Basin, it will not be counted toward the league's point standings
• Lubbock Christian has already faced UTPB once this season, winning 3-2 at the LCU Soccer Field with a game-winning goal from Adbou Joof in the 57th minute
• The Chaps rank third in the Lone Star Conference in scoring average with 2.09 goals per game. They trail only Midwestern State and Texas A&M Internationl, which are both nationally ranked
• Sophomore forward Fernando Flores leads the conference and ranks No. 11 nationally with nine total goals, averaging just under one per game
• Hector-Rodriguez Cabo became the seventh different LCU player to score a goal this season when he netted the game-winner in double overtime last Saturday against Dallas Baptist

 
90-PLUS
In each of the last three games, Lubbock Christian has needed more than 90 minutes to decide the outcome. Throughout the first eight games of the season, LCU did not go into overtime once, but they have now recorded two wins and one tie in the last two weeks after playing past the regulation time. The first Chap overtime game was against Oklahoma Christian on 10/5 with a game-winner in the 95^th minute from Fernando Flores. They then played through 110 minutes with both teams tied at one on 10/10 at SEU and got a double-overtime win on 10/12 with a late goal from Hector Rodriguez-Cabo at DBU. They still have a long way to go, however, before they match last season's total of six overtime games (1-2-3 record).
 
LOOKING AT THE LSC
After last weekend's games, the Chaps are exactly halfway through the conference schedule with five games played and five left to go. LCU was picked to finish sixth in the league's preseason poll, but currently sits two spots ahead of that in a tie for fourth with St. Edward's. Midwestern State is leading the LSC with a perfect 4-0 record (and a No. 6 national ranking), with Texas A&M International and St. Mary's in a tie for second. Both the Rattlers and Dustdevils remain on the LCU schedule, with games Eastern New Mexico, rival West Texas A&M and Division II newcomer UT Tyler as well. The top six teams by points at the end of the season make the LSC Tournament.
 
FLORES BY THE NUMBERS
LCU sophomore forward Fernando Flores has been the offensive leader so far this season, not only for the Chaps, but in the LSC as a whole and even nationally in some cases. The Monterrey, Mexico native has scored nine times this season, which ranks first in the LSC and No. 11 nationally. He has also assisted another LCU score, however, giving him a league-leading 19 points, which is the 19^th most in all of Division II. Most importantly, however, four of Flores's goals have been game-winners, which ranks No. 2 national. Furthermore, the sophomore's nine goals are the most in a single season by a Chap since 2014 when Lennard Hansen had 10.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Thursday's game will be Lubbock Christian's seventh on the road this season out of 10 total away games in 2019. The Chaps currently have a 3-2-1 with wins over Southern Nazarene, Oklahoma Baptist and Dallas Baptist. Flores, Tariq Bakkali and Pablo Galietero Diez all have scored multiple goals on the road this season. LCU posted a winning record of 5-4-1 on the road last season and if they win at least two of the remaining four on the schedule, they will have winning road records in back-to-back seasons for the first time since they did so in 2014 and 2015.
 
SCOUTING UTPB

• The Falcons currently sit in a tie for eighth in the Lone Star Conference with a 1-4 conference record and a 3-8 showing overall this season
• Head coach Dennis Peterson has been leading the UTPB men's program since 2000 
• Three different Falcon players are tied for the team lead in points with four each
• UTPB gives up an average of 2.82 goals per game to its opponents, which is the worst mark in the Lone Star Conference 
• The only three Falcon wins this season came against Colorado Christian, Stanislaus State and Dallas Baptist

 
THE SERIES WITH THE FALCONS
Lubbock Christian and UT Permian Basin have faced off 13 times in total, with LCU holding a 7-4-2 record in that time. The Chaps won the first four matchups played between the teams in 2013 and 2014, but went four games without a win (0-3-1) in 2017 and 2018. They broke that streak earlier this season with a 3-2 win over the Falcons at the LCU Soccer Field. Abdou Joof scored the game-winner in the 57^th minute.