LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (4-4-0, 1-0) at
OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN (1-5-2, 0-1)
Saturday, Oct. 9 – 7 p.m.
Eagle Soccer Field – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS

• Lubbock Christian was one of four Lone Star Conference opener on Saturday, along with Midwestern State, UT Tyler and Texas A&M-International
• The Chaps have scored multiple goals in five of their eight games this season and are averaging 1.75 per game, which is the fourth-best mark in the league
• LCU has played good defense this season without fouling much, ranking tied for fourth in the conference with an average of 12.50 fouls per game
• Oklahoma Christian has suffered losses in their last three games (WT, MSU, MSU), but each loss has been by just one goal and two of the games have gone into overtime
• Lubbock Christian has attempted just 77 shots so far this season, but an incredible 57.1 percent of those have been on goal, giving them an average of 5.50 shots on goal per game

 
AWARD CENTRAL
For the second time this season, Lubbock Christian players claimed two out of the three weekly Lone Star Conference awards, and it was the same to players this time as the last. Luca Hollenstein was named the league's Defensive Player of the week and Braxton Thorne the Goalkeeper of the Week for games played Oct. 6-11. The two players earned the same awards on Sept. 14, but that is the only other time this season LCU players have been recognized.
 
GOOSE-EGGS
Hollenstein and Thorne were recognized because the Chaparrals started off conference play last Saturday by shutting out No. 6 West Texas A&M, who had previously not been shut out all season. The Buffs were held to just two shots on goal, both of which came in the first half. It was the fourth shutout this season for a Lubbock Christian defense that is allowing an average of just 1.50 goals per game through the first half of the season. LCU has also shut out Adams State, CSU-Pueblo and Oklahoma Christian. Chap opponents have been limited to an average of 11.8 shots per game and just 37.2 percent of those have been on goal.
 
BALANCED ATTACK
When Hector Rodriguez-Cabo converted a penalty kick in the 38^th minute of the match against West Texas A&M, he became the 12^th different player to score a goal this season for the Chaps. Luciano Rodriguez leads the team with three, the third of which he scored against the Buffs, while Hollenstein and Fernando Flores are second with two apiece and nine other players have scored once. Another five LCU players have at least one shot on goal this season but have not yet scored.
 
FIRST THINGS FIRST
So far this season, Lubbock Christian is 4-1 in games where they have scored first, including wins over Adams State, CSU-Pueblo, Oklahoma Christian and West Texas A&M. They do not have a win yet this year when opponents score first (0-3). Looking further back, the Chaps are 14-7-0 when scoring first dating back to the start of 2019 season and 2-7-2 when opponents score first in that same time frame. LCU's only loss this season when scoring first was their matchup with WT on Sept. 25 when they led 1-0 before a second-half comeback by the Buffs that ended in a 3-2 LCU loss.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
This will be the fourth road game of the season for the Chaps, who are 1-3 there this season with a win against Adams State. Including Wednesday, LCU has four road games left this season. LCU is averaging 1.50 goals per game on the road on 7.0 shots, but they have allowed 2.25 goals per game on 8.8 shots. This is the Chaps' first trip to Oklahoma City since 2017, when they tied 1-1 thanks to an 87^th minute goal by Richie Vaca-Cordova. LCU has never lost on OC's home field, and they have a pair of wins there.
 
LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET
Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian met just 20 days ago, with the Chaps taking a 2-0 win at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex. Jacopo Ghezzi scored the eventual game-winner just 10 minutes into the match, and Ivan Muanze-Bengono headed in a corner kick in the 31^st minute for the eventual final score. Tomas Casas assisted the Ghezzi goal and Flores took the corner kick on Muanze-Bengono's score. OC actually had more shots in the game (20-16), but just four of their attempts were on goal and they were all saved by Thorne.
 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• The Eagles have played three straight games against opponents ranked in the top 25 nationally, including back-to-back matchups against Midwestern State, who moved up to No. 8 in this week's rankings
• Anthony Trabichet has been the only goalkeeper used by the Eagles so far this season, and his 1.621 goals against average is the second-worst in the conference. He has allowed 14 goals with 35 saves and has a save percentage of .714
• Oklahoma Christian's only win so far this season was on Sept. 8 against Newman, when they won 5-0. Their two ties were against UT Tyler (1-1) and No. 17 Rogers State (1-1)
• Mitchell Sowerby is in his first season at the helm of the Oklahoma Christian soccer program after two successful seasons at Mid-America Christian, where he posted a record of 35-7-4
• John Osadolo Ighede is the team-leader with three goals on the year, two of which came in the most recent OC game against Midwestern State. He scored in the 86^th minute to force overtime, but the Mustangs eventually won in the 106^th minute.

 
A WIN ON WEDNESDAY WOULD:

• Be the 96th win in program history (95-79-21)
• Be the 37th win in head coach Paul Gilbert's career (36-45-9)
• Be Lubbock Christian's 10^th win over Oklahoma Christian since the all-time series began in 2010 (9-2-1)