LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (4-0-2) vs.
UT PERMIAN BASIN (1-6)
Wednesday, Sept. 29 – 7:30 p.m.
LCU Soccer & Track Complex – Lubbock, Texas
 
LADY CHAP HEADERS

• Lubbock Christian and UT Permian Basin are meeting for the 14th time ever, which makes UTPB the second-most played opponent in program history, behind only St. Edward's (15)
• The Lady Chaps have the third-lowest goals against average in the Lone Star Conference at .67 and have not allowed more than one goal in any game so far this season
• Conversely, UT Permian Basin is allowing an average of 4.57 goals per game - including eight in their most recent loss to TAMUC - which is the highest mark in the conference
• Sophomore forward Makenna Pate leads the team and is tied for second in the conference with four goals this season. Only Asha James of WT has more with six
• Freshman defender Avery Jennings had the first two assists of her career in LCU's win over Texas A&M-International on Saturday, helping on the eventual game-winner and an insurance goal

 
STRONG START
The 2021 women's soccer season is now one month old, and within the Lone Star Conference Lubbock Christian University is the only team remaining without a loss on their record. Angelo State was the only other unbeaten team prior to last week's conference-openers, but lost to St. Mary's. The Lady Chaps have tied twice – vs. Colorado Christian and vs. Oklahoma Christian – but have not come out on the losing end of a match yet. The 4-0-2 start to the year is the best for LCU since 2012, when they rattled off 12 straight wins at the beginning of the season.
 
SURE'S SHOOTING
After an 18-shot performance in their win Saturday against Texas A&M-International, the Lady Chaps have moved up to fourth in the conference in shots per game with 17.00. Out of their 102 total shot, 44.1 percent (45) have been on goal for an average of 7.50 per game. Allison Scott is the team-leader in both shots (18) and shots on goal (10), but Pate, Kenley Blevins, Julie Shahi and Celia Duarte have all already reached the double-digit shot mark this season. Shahi (12) has the most shots of any LCU player who has not yet scored.
 
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
LCU went through the first week of LSC play allowing just one goal in their 200 minutes of play and notching their second shutout of the season. Oklahoma Christian was the shutout victim on Wednesday, and the Lady Chaps allowed just one goal in the win against Texas A&M-International. They have not allowed more than one goal in a single game this season, and they have only allowed four total through the first six games. LCU opponents are attempting just 9.0 shots per game and have put only 28 shots on goal. The Lady Chaps have been able to accomplish this defensive pressure all while committing just 6.83 fouls per game, which is the third-fewest in the league. 
 
HAPPY HELPERS
On their 13 team goals so far this season, Lubbock Christian has tallied 11 individual assists for an average of 1.83. That mark ranks fourth in the Lone Star Conference and ranks No. 33 nationally. Eight different players have recorded assists so far this year, including two apiece by Scott, Blevins and Jennings. Oddly enough, the each of the players with two assists accomplished the feat in a single game:

• Scott – 2 assists on 9/2 vs. NMHU
• Blevins – 2 assists on 9/2 vs. NMHU
• Jennings – 2 assists on 9/25 at TAMIU

 
WISE BEYOND HER YEARS
After spending four years as the primary starting goalkeeper for Lubbock Christian, Hannah Wise decided she wasn't done, taking advantage of the NCAA COVID-19 waiver, and returning for a fifth year. She started both games last week and has now played in 67 total games for the Lady Chaps. She has nine saves on the season, bringing her career total to 208, and her all-time goals against average of .96, which is the best in program history. Wise has an all-time save percentage of .765.
 
HOME TURF
The Lady Chaps return home for the matchup with the Falcons, where they are 2-0-1 this season. Including Wednesday's matchup, they have six home games left in the 2021 season. The LCU Soccer & Track Complex was completed in August of 2020 and features an AstroTurf playing surface, a Musco lighting system to allow for night games and stadium seating for 500 fans. The program is 55-23-12 all-time in home contests and has never had a losing record at home under head coach Alex Denning.
 
SCOUTING THE FALCONS

• UT Permian Basin is 1-6 to start the year, with their only win coming against NAIA opponent Oklahoma Panhandle State
• The Falcons have allowed at least three goals in every game of the year so far except for the win over OPSU, including six goals allowed against West Texas A&M and eight against Texas A&M-Commerce last week
• UTPB goalkeeper Jenna McEnaney is tied for the LSC lead in total saves with 42, but has the league's worst save percentage at .600
• The Falcons have scored 10 goals so far this season (five in the game against OPSU) but have recorded only two assists in that time
• The 2020-21 season was Lynsey Winkler's first as the UT Permian Basin head coach after she spent three seasons prior as an assistant coach at Whitman College

 
A WIN ON WEDNESDAY WOULD:

• Be the 104^th in Lubbock Christian program history (103-74-20)
• Be the 90^th under head coach Alex Denning (89-57-16)
• Be the 113^th of Denning's career as a women's soccer coach (112-90-19)
• Be the Lady Chap's 11^th win over UT Permian Basin since the series began in 2013 (10-2-1)