LUBBOCK, Texas (September 22, 2021) – Lubbock Christian University's men's soccer team has not allowed a goal in the last 180 minutes of game action, as they shut out Oklahoma Christian in a 2-0, non-conference win at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex on Wednesday.
 
The Chaparrals are now above the .500 mark for the first time this season at 3-2 and have earned shutouts in all three of their wins this season. Braxton Thorne has been in goal for every clean sheet, and the senior made five saves on Wednesday to keep the Eagles off the board.
 
Scoring opened early for LCU, as they took the lead just 10 minutes into the match. It was Jacopo Ghezzi who scored the game's opening goal, receiving a through ball from Tomas Casas and attacking relentlessly. His first attempt was stopped by the OC goalkeeper, another was blocked by a defender, but the third kick finally put the ball in the back of the net.
 
Ghezzi's goal was the first of his collegiate career, as was the assist from Casas.
 
The shots just kept coming early on for the Chaps, who stayed aggressive on offense even after the early goal. Kevin Mejias put shots on goal in the 15^th and 17^th minutes, and Luciano Rodriguez added another in the 19^th minute, but Eagle goalkeeper Anthony Trabichet was there every time to keep his team within striking distance.
 
Rodriguez had another shot on goal in the 25^th minute and Ghezzie sent a rocket that Trabichet saved at the 30:30 mark, but this time he just pushed it wide to give LCU a corner kick. The Chaps took advantage of the set piece, with Fernando Flores sending in a cross that caremed off Ivan Muanze-Bengono and into the back of the net.
 
With Muanze-Bengono and Ghezzi both scoring, LCU has now gotten goals from seven different players this season. Flores and Rodriguez are the only players with two, and the former's assist increased his team-leading total to three on the year.
 
Oklahoma Christian pushed hard for a goal before the break, getting three shots on goal from John Osadolor Ighede, but all of them were saved by Thorne.
 
LCU stayed locked in defensively throughout the second half and did not allow a single shot on goal, but they did not create as many scoring chances themselves either.
 
The best chance for a third goal came in the 65^th minute, when Rodriguez was pulled down just inside the 18-yard box and given a penalty. He took it himself and shot low and left, but Trabichet guessed that side and saved the attempt.
 
OC's best chance at getting back into the game came with less than five minutes to play, when they took three straight corner kicks, but the only thing to come out of them was a shot that missed out right, allowing the Chaparral defense to hold on to the shutout.
 
Lubbock Christian will try and stretch their win streak to three games when they take on rival West Texas A&M at noon on Saturday at The Pitch in Canyon, Texas.