TYLER, Texas (October 23, 2021) – The Lubbock Christian University men's soccer team put together a complete win on Saturday, netting four goals and shutting out UT Tyler at the Perkins Soccer Complex.
 
The last time the Chaps (5-5-1, 2-2-1) scored four times in one game was Nov. 7, 2019, when they beat West Texas A&M 4-1, and the four goals is tied for the most allowed by the Patriots (6-6-1, 2-3-0) this season. Pablo Galietero Diez opened the scoring with his second goal of the season, Kevin Mejias notched the first brace of his career with back-to-back goals, and Jonathan Woods capped off the scoring with a second-half goal.
 
LCU's offense was relentless through the game, with shots coming early and often to the tune of 22 overall. It was the most shots taken in a single game since Sept. 14, 2019, when the Chaps had 23 against Oklahoma Baptist.
 
Jacopo Ghezzi took the first shot of the game, missing high just 1:35 into the game. Mejias had the game's first shot on goal in the eighth minute, which was saved, and Hector Rodriguez-Cabo hit the crossbar in the 11^th minute.
 
Finally, in the 16^th minute and on the seventh shot of the game, Lubbock Christian broke through. After a turnover by the Patriots in LCU's offensive third, the ball was played into the box to Luciano Rodriguez, who dribble away from a defender and then passed to a wide open Diez in the box, who beat the keeper low and left. Rodriguez is now tied for the team lead in points with seven.
 
Diez had another shot on goal just four minutes later but it was saved. In the 25^th minute though, LCU doubled its lead with the first goal from Mejias. He started the offensive attack himself by playing a ball to Ghezzi in the box. He dribble through the box to the right side of the goal before playing a quick pass back to Mejias, which he put in the upper left corner with just one touch.
 
Mejias then completed his brace before the break for halftime with another goal in the 35^th minute. Luca Hollenstein played the ball to Mejias from the Lubbock Christian defensive third, landing the ball at his feet. Mejias used one touch to go around his defender, driving forward into the box, cutting inside, and beating the keeper low and left.
 
He is the second LCU player to score multiple goals in one game this season, along with Luciano Rodriguez, who scored twice on Sept. 4 against Adams State.
 
After the break, Lubbock Christian did not let up on offense. The fourth goal of the game came just 53 seconds into the second half. The Chaps earned an early corner kick, and after the ball bounced around in the box it landed at the feet of Woods, who fired into the back of the net.
 
The goal was just the fourth of the defender's career and his first since Feb. 6, 2021, when he also scored in against UT Tyler at the Perkins Soccer Complex.
 
The Patriots had their first and only shot on goal of the game in the 59^th minute thanks to Edwin Saldivar, but Chaparral keeper Braxton Thorne was there to make the save. It was his only save of the game, but it was an important milestone nonetheless as the 200^th save of his career.
 
Lubbock Christian took seven more shots throughout the rest of the half but did not find the back of the net, cruising to the 90^th minute and a convincing victory.
 
LCU will be back at home on Wednesday, looking to earn a second-straight win when they host Texas A&M-International at 7 p.m. at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex.