LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (3-3) at
No. 12 MIDWESTERN STATE (6-1)
Saturday, Sept. 25 – 7:30 p.m.
Stang Park – Wichita Falls, Texas
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS

• Lubbock Christian is playing its final non-conference game of the 2021 season, albeit against Midwestern State, which is also a member of the Lone Star Conference
• The Chaps have scored multiple goals in four of their six games this season and are averaging 1.83 per game, which is the third-best mark in the league
• Lubbock Christian is allowing an average of just 1.50 goals per game and has shut out three opponents so far this year. The goals against average ranks third in the LSC
• Midwestern State has the top offense in the Lone Star Conference with an average of 3.43 goals, 16.0 shots and 7.71 shots on goal per game
• Braxton Thorne's goals against average of .730 is the second-best in the conference, and his .842 save percentage is second in the league and ranks 11th nationally

 
BOUNCE-BACK
When Lubbock Christian takes on Midwestern State at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Stang Park, they will be looking to bounce back from a loss – something they have been adept at doing through the early portion of the 2021 schedule. After both of their first two losses, the Chaps have immediately not only with wins, but with shutouts. The response from the season-opening loss to Fort Lewis College was to blank Adams State 3-0, and LCU bounced back from a 3-2 loss against MSU-Denver with a 1-0, overtime win over previously unbeaten CSU-Pueblo.
 
PERFECTLY BALANCED
With Pablo Galietero Diez and Luca Hollenstein as the two Chaparrals to find the back of the net against West Texas A&M on Saturday, Lubbock Christian has now had an incredible nine different players score goals this season. Diez's goal was the eighth of his Chap career, while Hollenstein's rocket from 40 yards out marked the second score of his career. Fernando Flores and Luciano Rodriguez each have a pair of goals to co-lead the team. Hector Rodriguez-Cabo has the most shots on goal (7) without scoring yet, and another five LCU players have at least one shot on goal.
 
TOP-RANKED
For the second-straight game, Lubbock Christian is facing an opponent ranked inside the top-25 nationally. Midwestern State comes into the game ranked No. 12 nationally, dropping two spots from their No. 10 ranking last week, and West Texas A&M was ranked No. 5 prior to last Saturday's meeting. LCU's last win over an opponent ranked in the top 25 was on Oct. 4, 2018, when Emilio Marti scored a golden goal in the 96^th minute to beat No. 23 WT. The Chaps also tied No. 5 St. Mary's 1-1 on Nov. 2, 2019, and tied No. 3 Midwestern State 1-1 in Wichita Falls on Oct. 5, 2017.
 
ON THE MARK
Although they enter Wednesday's matchup with the second-fewest shots in the Lone Star Conference at 68, the Chaps have been very efficient with their chances. Of the 68 shots, 57.4 percent of them have been on goal – a good enough percentage that LCU is third in the league in shots on goal per game with a mark of 6.50. Luciano Rodriguez leads the team with eight. There are still a lot of games left to be played, but the .574 shots on goal percentage would be the highest by the Chaps under Gilbert.
 
HE'S A KEEPER
Thorne already has three shutouts under his belt this season, having posted a goals against average of .730 and a save percentage of .842 (11^th-best in the nation) in his four starts. The Chaparral keeper has been a starter nearly all of his collegiate career, making 191 saves in 47 games played. He has an all-time save percentage of .749 and goals against average of 1.31 in over 4000 minutes of action.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Lubbock Christian is heading back out on the road for its second straight game. The Chaps are 1-2 on the road so far this season, with the one win coming at Adams State 3-0. Including Wednesday night's matchup with the Mustangs, LCU has five more road games left in the 2021 season. LCU does not have any wins in Wichita Falls in program history but did fight to a 1-1 draw on the Mustangs' home field in 2017, thanks to an 89^th minute goal by Corey Hutchison.
 
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS

• Midwestern State is allowing an average of just one goal per game while limiting opponents to only 7.7 shots
• MSU has a history of men's soccer success, finishing either first or second in the conference and as conference tournament champions or runners-up in each of the last five seasons
• Midfielder Carlos Flores is the Lone Star Conference leader in assists in 2021, racking up five through just seven games
• Trevor Amann is the team-leader in points with six goals scored and three others assisted. He is second in the league with 33 shots on the season
• Midwestern State already has three wins over ranked opponents this year, beating No. 25 Northeastern State, No. 9 Rogers State and No. 19 Simon Fraser, but they did also lose to No. 5 West Texas A&M last week

 
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD

• Be the 95th win in program history (94-78-21)
• Be the 36th win in head coach Paul Gilbert's career (35-44-9)
• Be Lubbock Christian's first-ever win over Midwestern State since the series began in 2014 (0-5-2)