LUBBOCK, Texas (September 10, 2021) – Trailing by two goals and down to 10 players for the final 35 minutes of play, Lubbock Christian University's men's soccer team still came about as close as they possibly could to completing the comeback on Friday, falling just short in a 3-2 loss to MSU-Denver.
 
It was a pair of free kicks that put the Chaps behind early, both of which were taken and converted by Sam Funnell. The first came in just the third minute, after a foul was called on LCU just outside the 18-yard box. Funnell put the ball low and left, scoring his first goal of the season.
 
Then in the 28^th minute, Jocopo Ghezzi was issued a yellow card in almost the exact same spot, about 20 yards out. This time, when Funnell shot, he went high and right, past the out-stretched arms of Ben Pelz.
 
Lubbock Christian got one of the goals back quickly, getting on the board less than five minutes after the second MSUD goal. Luciano Rodriguez was sent a through ball in space and was racing toward the goal with his defender behind him in the 32^nd minute. Out of options, the defender made a wild tackle and was called for a foul in the box.
 
Fernando Flores was selected to take the penalty kick and converted, notching his second goal of the season and 18^th of his career. It was also the eighth made penalty kick of his career, a category in which he holds the school record.
 
Just before the halftime break, the Roadrunners re-gained their two-goal lead, again using a free kick to score. This set piece was a little further out and taken by Bryson Chiles, who swung in a cross where a diving Noah Hannula found it and headed it home.
 
The second half featured a lot more offense for the Chaps despite them going down to 10 men I the 56^th minute when Ivan Muanze-Bengono was sent off for a straight red. LCU took 12 shots in the final 45 minutes, six of which were on goal.
 
Meanwhile, the defense locked in as well. The only serious offensive chances the Roadrunners had during the half came around the 53 minute mark, when they earned three consecutive corners and toook their only three shots on goal of the half, all of which were saved by Pelz.
 
Despite all of their chances, Lubbock Christian did not get their second goal until the 70^th minute of play, when Jelle Born played a perfect ball to Kevin Mejias, who beat the MSUD keeper by his ankles to pull the Chaps within one.
 
LCU seemed poised to break through and score the tying goal as well, and it wasn't for lack of trying that they never got it. Pablo Galietero Diez had one shot saved just two minutes after the Mejias goal, and Hector Rodriguez-Cabo put two shots on goal in the final 20 minutes, along with a shot in the 84^th minute that hit the crossbar, but in the end, LCU's comeback bid fell short.
 
Overall, the Chaps out-shot the Roadrunners 18-9, including a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal.
 
LCU falls to 1-2-0 with the loss and will look to get back to .500 on Sunday, when they host CSU-Pueblo at 3 p.m. at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex.