LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (7-4-1, 3-1-1) vs.
UT Tyler (6-3-2, 1-1-2)
Thursday, October 24 – 3:30 p.m.
LCU Soccer Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS

• Lubbock Christian returns to Lone Star Conference play on Thursday, currently sitting fourth in the league with and LSC record of 3-1-1
•  Thursday's opponent UT-Tyler is in their first season at the Division II level, transitioning after competing previously at the NCAA Division III level
• The Chaps rank third in the Lone Star Conference in scoring average with 2.00 goals per game. They trail only Midwestern State and St. Mary's, which are both nationally ranked
• Sophomore forward Fernando Flores leads the conference and ranks No. 20 nationally with nine total goals, averaging just under one per game
• Caram Carneiro-Alves became the eighth different LCU player to score a goal this season when he netted LCU's only goal in the 2-1 loss to UT Permian Basin last week

 
FRIENDLY CONFINES
With just two games left at home this season, the Chaps have already secured a winning record on their own field for the second straight year. Lubbock Christian is 4-1 at the LCU Soccer Field so far this season, with the only loss coming at the hand of nationally-ranked Midwestern State. LCU was also above .500 at home last season (4-2-2), which was the first time under head coach Paul Gilbert that they had a winning record at home. The worst home record the Chaps can post at this point is 4-3, which means they will have back-to-back seasons with winning home records for the first time since 2013.
 
SPREADING THE SCORING
Forward Fernando Flores may be tied for the Lone Star Conference lead and rank 20^th nationally with nine goals this season, but that leaves another 15 goals unaccounted for, and those goals have been spread among a number of players. Besides Flores, seven other Chaps have found the back of the net this year, most recently being Caram Carneiro-Alves with his goal against UT Permian Basin. Pablo Galietero Diez and Tariq Bakkalie are tied for second on the team with four goals apiece, and Abdou Joof and Emilio Marti each have scored twice.
 
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE
Lubbock Christian has used just one goalkeeper all season in sophomore Braxton Thorne. The Lubbock native recently set a new all-time Chap record for saves, and has performed well between the posts this year. With five games left to play, Thorne has made 39 saves with just 18 goals allowed. He has faced 114 total shots with a save percentage of .684, which ranks as the seventh best in the Lone Star Conference. He has shut out two opponents this season through 12 games, and has a goals against average for the season of 1.433.
 
LOOKING AT THE LSC
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. 5national 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.
 
SCOUTING UT TYLER

• Although there are a number of new members in the LSC this season, the Patriots are the only team new to the NCAA Division II level, as they are in their first year of transition
• UTT goalkeeper Parker O'Quinn played at LCU in his freshman season, spending over 1100 minutes in goal across 12 games with a goals against average of 1.22 before transferring
• The Patriots sit in sixth place in the Lone Star Conference with five points and a 1-1-2 record so far. Their one LSC win came in overtime at DBU
• Steven Chavez leads the team's offense with eight total points, having scored three goals and assisted two others
• Kenny Jones has been the head coach of the program ever since its inception in 2002, has a career record of 222-93-43

 
THE SERIES WITH THE PATRIOTS
Lubbock Christian and UT Tyler will be meeting for the first time in the history of the two programs on Thursday afternoon.