LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (0-0) at
FORT LEWIS COLLEGE (0-0)
Thursday, Sept. 2 – 4 p.m. CT
Dirks Field – Durango, Colorado
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS

• Lubbock Christian's 2021 scheduled features 17 total games. They will play at home nine times and on the road eight times, including this weekend's first two contests
• LCU averaged 1.67 goals per game during the adjusted spring 2021 season, which was tied for the second-best mark in the Lone Star Conference
• The Chaps return all major contributors from last year's roster, including seven players who earned various All-Conference awards for their performance in the COVID-19-adjusted season
• Fort Lewis reached the RMAC Tournament semifinals during the spring 2021 season and have done so two other times in the last five seasons
• With 42 career points (16g, 10a), Fernando Flores is currently tied for second in program history in that category. Nick Gorrie (17g, 8a - 2011-13) also tallied 42 points
• An incredible 14 different countries are represented on the Lubbock Christian roster

 
A LOOK BACK
Last season was a weird one for the Lubbock Christian men's soccer team, with the COVID-19 pandemic pushing their playing season into the spring half of the 2020-21 academic year. The Chaps played a nine-game regular season, going 4-5 overall and 3-5 in conference play to finish seventh in the league standings. They won four of their first five contests but ended the year on a four-game losing streak. LCU had a lead at least once in three of those four losses though. They averaged 1.67 goals on 10.9 shots per game, putting 43 shots on goal during the season. They allowed 1.78 goals and 11.9 shots per game though with 48 shots on goal from their opponents in total.
 
FURTHER BACK
The Lubbock Christian men's soccer program began in 2010 with a 3-1 win against the University of the Southwest (N.M.). Since that time, the Chaparrals have won amassed another 90 wins, pushing to an all-time record of 91-75-21. Current head coach Paul Gilbert is the fourth in program history, taking over in December of 2015. With last season's win against Texas A&M International, Gilbert became the winningest coach in program history.
 
IN THE MOUNTAIN AIR
LCU has played eight games in program history within the state of Colorado, going 3-5-0 there all time. The first-ever Chaparral trip to the Centennial State was a successful one, was they beat Colorado Christian 5-1 behind a hat trick from Mbongeni Ndlovu on Sept. 11, 2015. They also beat Adams State 2-1 on that 2015 trip. The last time Lubbock Christian was in Colorado was 2018, when they suffered a 2-1 loss to UC-Colorado Springs but rebounded with a 5-0 win over Colorado Christian in which all five scores came in the opening half. Also back are
 
FAMILIAR FACES
The majority of LCU's roster from a season ago has returned for the 2021 campaign, including every player who started at least half of the games last year and both goalkeepers they used. Fernando Flores is back after leading the team in goals scored each of the last two seasons and earning a spot on the All-LSC Second Team last year. Hector Rodriguez-Cabo and Ivan Muanze-Bengono were both named to the All-LSC Third Team last year and are back, along with All-Freshman Team selection Luca Hollenstein.
 
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Still, there are some fresh faces on the 2021 Chaparral roster. Seventeen of them, to be exact, coming to Lubbock from all around the world. Seven of those newcomers are freshman, along with 10 transfers. The full roster features 21 upper classmen and 11 under classmen.
 
PRESEASON POLL
In the 2021 Lone Star Conference men's soccer preseason poll, Lubbock Christian was picked to finish seventh. The poll, which including the views of LSC head coaches, sports information directors and various media members, credited LCU with 70 points, behind UT Permian Basin and Texas A&M-International, who tied for fifth with 98 points each. West Texas A&M was picked to win the league with 171 points and 10 of the 21 first place votes.
 
SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS

• FLC checked in at No. 4 in the RMAC men's soccer preseason poll with 70 points and one first place vote
• During the spring 2021 season, the Skyhawks went 5-3-1 overall and 3-2-1 in conference play. All three of their losses came to Colorado School of Mines, a team that enters the 2021 season ranked No. 8 in the country
• Loic Jean-Baptiste was Fort Lewis's leading point-scorer a season ago with nine (3g, 3a), and the Martinique, France native returns as a redshirt junior this year. He led the RMAC with 17 shots on goal last year
• Fort Lewis averaged 1.11 goals against per game during the spring 2021 season, which was the fifth-best mark in their conference
• Goalkeeper Peter Byrne is entering his fourth year starting in net for the Skyhawks. He was an All-RMAC Second Team selections last season and has 17 career shutouts

 
THE SERIES WITH THE SKYHAWKS
Although they have made four previous trips to Colorado and hosted teams from the Centennial state at other points in their history, this will be the first time Lubbock Christian has taken the field against Fort Lewis.