LUBBOCK, Texas (September 11, 2021) – The Lubbock Christian University men's soccer team is averaging 11.3 shots per game through the first three games of the season, including a season-high 18 on Friday night against MSU-Denver, but they came up just short in that 3-2 loss. Now they will try and bounce back on Sunday against a CSU-Pueblo team that has not lost in four chances so far this season.
CHAPARRAL NEWS AND NOTES
- LCU started Ben Pelz in goal for the loss on Friday. Pelz also started the season-opener against Fort Lewis, but it was Braxton Thorne in goal for the Chaparral win over Adams State last weekend. Pelz made three saves in the Friday night game.
- Fernando Flores took and converted a penalty kick for one of LCU's two goals in the first game of the weekend. Already the program leader in penalty kicks made, it was the eighth of his career. The penalty had been earned by Luciano Rodriguez, who also earned one during the Adams State game.
- LCU lost despite leading in 10-6 in shots on goal on Friday. In the last two seasons, the Chaps have only lost twice when recording more shots on goal than their opponent (3/27 vs. West Texas A&M, 9/22 vs. Saint Martin's) and in both of those instances, they only had one more shot on goal.
- The other Chaparral goal was put together by a players in their first year with Lubbock Christian. Junior transfer Jelle Born had the assist on the goal, which was scored by freshman Kevin Mejias.
- LCU and CSU-Pueblo have met twice previously, though never in Lubbock. They first met in 2014 in a neutral site game in Hays, Kansas. Darius Strambler scored the eventual game-winner in a 1-0 game just 44 seconds into the second half, while Tristen Putnam made eight saves for the clean sheet. The Thunderwolves got a win on their home field I 2016, scoring twice in the first five minutes and holding the Chaps at bay in spite of a Mickey Brunton goal in the second half.
- If the Chaps win on Sunday, it will be their 93rd win in program history (92-77-21) and the 34th under head coach Paul Gilbert
- Lubbock Christian has been called for offsides just three times this season, which is the fewest amount in the Lone Star Conference. They have also been called for 34 fouls through the first three games
- Flores, Rodriguez and Hector Rodriguez-Cabo are all tied for third in the league with four shots on goal apiece. Rodriguez-Cabo had a pair on Friday night, as well as a shot off the crossbar with just over six minutes left that would have tied the game
SCOUTING THE THUNDERWOLVES
- CSU-Pueblo has not lost yet in four chances so far this season, including a 3-0 win over UT Permian Basin at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex on Friday.
- The Thunderwolves shut out UT Permian Basin for their third-straight clean sheet. They previously held Newman and MSU Billings scoreless as well. CSUP opponents are averaging just 5.8 shots per game so far this year
- Vinzent Zingel scored twice in the Friday and is the team-leader in both shots (13) and shots on goal (9)
- Lamar Bynum had the other goal for the Pack in the 78th minute, giving him the first goal of his collegiate career
- No CSU-Pueblo player has been on the field for every minute of every game so far this year, but Jan Gruhn leads the team with 323 minutes played across the four contests
