WICHITA FALLS, Texas (November 12, 2021) – The Lubbock Christian University men's soccer team took a lead in the fourth minute and never looked back, beating No. 17 West Texas A&M 3-0 in Friday's Lone Star Conference Championship semifinal.
 
It was the 10^th win of the season for the Chaps, which is their most in a single season under head coach Paul Gilbert. It was also their ninth shutout of the year, which is a program record, breaking the previous high of eight, which was done in both 2013 and 2011.
 
 Luciano Rodriguez had the game-winner for the second straight game, and this time it took him just three and a half minutes to score it. Hector Rodriguez-Cabo assisted the goal, which was the sixth of the year for Rodriguez.
 
The goal was also the earliest scored by LCU this season, breaking the previous mark of 4:32, which came on Oct. 30 against St. Mary's. The last time the Chaps scored a goal earlier than 3:36 was the spring 2021 season finale, when the found the back of the net just 2:04 into the match.
 
Before halftime, Rodriguez had completed his second brace of the season, as he scored again in the 25^th minute. WT turned the ball over in their offensive half and the Chaps played the ball to Juan Jose Valdez Lopez in the midfield. He drove forward and played a perfect pass through the Buff back line. Rodriguez caught up with it just outside the box, took one touch forward and drove it into the top left corner of the goal.
 
One day off of his All-LSC Third Team selection, the freshman now leads the team in goals this season with seven, and he wasn't quite done for the night.
 
WT finally put its first shot on goal in the 38^th minute on an attempt from Giancarlo Saldana, but Braxton Thorne was there to make the save and LCU took its two-goal lead into the break.
 
The Buffs gave their best effort to find the back of the net in the second half, taking four more shot on goal in the first 20 minutes of the period while holding LCU without any, but Thorne was there every time. The Chap keeper ended the game with five saves, bringing his season total to 37 and raising his save percentage to .698.
Lubbock Christian put the nail in the coffin in the 76^th minute when Kevin Mejias scored the third and final goal. Rodriguez was involved again, this time taking the ball away from a WT player and pushing across midfield for a three-on-two counterattack. With Mejias running alongside him out wide, Rodriguez played the ball to him there. Mejias cut inside first and then back to the corner of the box, where he shot back post and scored.
 
The goal by Mejias was his sixth of the season and gave him three in this LSC Tournament. Rodriguez though, was credited with the assist, giving him five points in the match overall. It is the first time a Chap player has had at least five points in a single game since Oct. 4, 2017, when Corey Hutchison had a hat trick against St. Mary's for six points.
 
Lubbock Christian advances to the LSC Championship match for the first time in program history after joining the league in 2019. They will face the No. 1 seed and host Midwestern State, who beat St. Mary's 2-1 in their semifinal match.