LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (3-1-0, 2-1-0) at
TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (2-1-1, 2-1-1)
Tuesday, March 16 – 1 p.m.
Dustdevil Soccer Field – Laredo, Texas
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS

• Lubbock Christian is averaging 1.50 goals per game so far this season, which is the third-most in the Lone Star Conference. Five different players have scored for the Chaps
• Head coach Paul Gilbert is in his fifth season leading LCU, having gone 31-37-9 in his four seasons. He is currently tied for the most head coaching wins in program history
• Both goals in LCU's most recent game were scored by defenders, as Hector Rodriguez-Cabo and Ivan Muanze-Bengono both found the back of the net for the first time this season
• The Chaps will be looking for revenge on the Dustdevils after losing 6-1 in Laredo on Halloween of 2019. Tariq Bakkali scored the lone LCU goal in that loss
• Lubbock Christian currently sits in fifth place in the league standings with six games to play. The top four teams by points at the end of the season will advance to the LSC Tournament

 
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Lubbock Christian has been the first team to score in all three of their wins so far this season, and they have had a halftime lead in two of those games. They scored in the 43^rd minutes of their season-opener against UT Tyler, the 26^th minute of the win over Oklahoma Christian, and the 64^th minute of their most recent game to take a 1-0 lead each time. During the 2019 season, LCU scored first in nine of their 18 total games, going 7-2 in those contests. This year's only loss came after the opponent (Midwestern State) got the first goal of the game, and the Chaps were 2-5-2 when opponents scored first during the 2019 season.
 
DOWN ON THE CORNER
In this past Saturday's 2-1 win over UT Tyler, the Chaparrals earned a season-high seven corner kicks. It was also the most corner kicks LCU has earned in a single game since Oct. 27, 2018, when they had nine in a win over UT Permian Basin. The scored the game-winner off against UTT off of one of those corner kicks, as Ivan Muazne-Bengono received the ball after a deflection and poked it past the Patriot goalkeeper. So far this year, Lubbock Christian has drawn 16 corner kicks, for an average of 4.00 per game, which is the fifth-most in the LSC.
 
THE FLORES FILE
Sophomore forward Fernando Flores took the corner kick that led to the game-winner against the Patriots, earning and assists and his team-leading fifth point of the year. A deeper look at the 2021 LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year's career numbers reveal him already making a mark on the LCU program record books. Flores, in his junior season but with a chance to play two more years, already ranks No. 3 in program history in both total goals (14) and total points (36). Four more goals would push him into second place on the all-time list ahead of Nick Gorrie (2011-13), but he will need a heroic 27 to surpass Billy Forbes (2011, 2013) for the program record. Flores also ranks tied for second in career game-winners with six, needing one to take sole possession and eight to claim the program record.
 
ONE WIN AWAY
Lubbock Christian head men's soccer coach Paul Gilbert enters Tuesday's match tied for the most wins in program history at 31. He is tied with LCU's first-ever head coach, Kyle Beard, who coached the program from 2010-2013. Below is a look at the all-time coaching win list.

• Kyle Beard (2010-12): 31-16-7
• Paul Gilbert (2016-Present): 31-37-9
• Lee Williams (2014-15): 17-13-3
• Matt Barnes (2013): 11-5-1

 
HE'S A KEEPER
Braxton Thorne made three saves in Saturday's win, including a huge stop in the 80^th minute on a rocket from just outside the 18-yard box. His three saves brought him up to 17 for the season, and his average of 4.25 per game ranks 27^th among all NCAA Division II Schools. The Lubbock native is in his third year as LCU's starting goalkeeper, starting every game since he was a freshman. He has a save percentage of .810 and a goals against average of exactly 1.00. For his career, Thorne already has the program record in saves with 169 currently. He is also the all-time wins leader and has a career record of 20-14-5.
 
HIGH VOLUME
Through the first four games of the season, the Chaps have attempted 48 shots, which is the third most among LSC teams. One fourth of those have come from one player – Hector Rodriguez-Cabo – who has 12 shot attempts this season and leads the conference with his average of 3.00 per game. Tariq Bakkali, Juan Jose Valdez Lopez, Flores and Pablo Galietero Diez have all also attempted at least five shots this year, although Flores is the only one to have scored so far.
 
SCOUTING THE DUSTDEVILS

• TAMIU has started the season exactly the same way LCU did, averaging 1.50 and allowing 1.00 goals per game through the first four contests of the year
• Freshman Dustdevil defender Aaron Rich is the reigning LSC Defensive Player of the Week, earning the award after TAMIU limited Oklahoma Christian to just one goal
• Claudio Arias is the head men's soccer coach and director of soccer operations at Texas A&M International. In 17 seasons, he has led the Dustdevils to a 142-18-25 record and one NCAA Tournament appearance
• TAMIU is coming off a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Midwestern State this past Saturday. Kristian Colaci scored the lone Dustdevil goal in a game that featured seven different cautions
• Natxo Faus has been the Dustdevil's main goalkeeper this season, playing 252 of the 380 possible minutes. He has eight saves and a goals against average of .360.

 
THE SERIES WITH THE DUSTDEVILS
Lubbock Christian and Texas A&M International will be meeting for the eighth time in program history, with the Dustdevils leading the all-time series 4-3.