COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Fresh off of their first shutout win of the year, Lubbock Christian continues their trek across the Rockies to face Colo. Colorado Springs for the first time since 2019 on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Lubbock Christian (2-1-1) at Colo. Colorado Springs (2-1-1)
Wednesday, Sept. 7 - 6 PM
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Mountain Lion Field

CHAP HEADERS
• Lubbock Christian is coming off a 4-0 win over SD Mines in Denver, Colo. It's the second shutout of the season for the Chaps and the first shutout win of the year.

• With two goals and an assist, Tariq Bakkali finished the match with five points, new career high. He had previously tallied four points in a match four times in his career. It was also Bakkali's first brace since Nov. 9, 2021, when he scored two goals against Texas Permian Basin.

• With seven shots in the match, Bakkali passed Fernando Flores for fourth most in program history with 97. He also recorded four shots on goal against SD Mines, moving up to fifth most in program history with 38 for his career.

• The match against Mines was the first time the Chaps have scored a goal within the first two minutes of a match since Abdou Joof scored a goal in the second minute against UT Tyler on Oct. 25, 2019. Coincidentally, Bakkali recorded an assist on that goal against the Patriots.

SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS, (EVERYBODY)
In their two wins this season, the Chaps have recorded over 20 shots in a match. In the season-opening 6-1 win over Adams State, LCU tallied 21 shots with 12 on goal. In the 4-0 win against SD Mines, the Chaps finished with 24 shots with eight on goal. Lubbock Christian had 20 shots in just one match last season, peppering 22 shots against UT Tyler in a 4-0 win over the Patriots.

HISTORY LESSON
The Lubbock Christian men's soccer program began in 2010 with a 3-1 win against the University of the Southwest (N.M.). On Nov. 9, 2021 in the opening round of the LSC Tournament, the Chaps won their 100th match in program history, rolling over UT Permian Basin 6-0. The Chap program enters the 2022 season with an overall record of 101-81-23.

THE NOT SO SECRET WEAPON
With a hat trick against Adams State on Aug. 25, Pablo Galietero Diez became the first Chap since Corey Hutchison did so against St. Mary's on Oct. 14, 2017. Galietero Diez added an assist in the second half to finish the match against the Grizzlies with seven points, the second most in a match by one Chap in program history. His three goals are second in the entire Lone Star Conference so far this season, while his nine points are tied for first in the LSC.

IN THE MOUNTAIN AIR
LCU has played ten games in program history within the state of Colorado, going 5-7-0 there all time. The first-ever Chaparral trip to the Centennial State was a successful one, as they beat Colorado Christian 5-1 behind a hat trick from Mbongeni Ndlovu on Sept. 11, 2015. They also beat Adams State 2-1 on that 2015 trip. Last season, LCU went 1-1 in the Centennial State, falling 3-1 to Fort Lewis in Durango, while defeating Adams State 3-0 in Alamosa. The Chaps will play four straight matches in Colorado from Sept. 1-9, facing MSU-Denver and South Dakota Mines in the Mile High City before facing UC-Colorado Springs and CSU-Pueblo on the road.

NEW YEAR, NEW TEAM
LCU will feature an astonishing 24 new players on the 2022 Fall roster. Of those new players, 12 are true freshmen, while the other 12 are transfers from either the junior college ranks or other universities. It is a diverse group, with seven players from Texas, four from England, four from Brazil, and the rest from Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Spain internationally, along with new faces from Oklahoma, Pennslyvania, and Wisconsin in the states.

PRESEASON POLL
For the first time since joining the Lone Star Conference, the Chaps earned a first-place vote in the preseason polls, slotted to finish fourth in the LSC this season. The last time the Chaps earned a first-place vote was prior to the 2014 season, when LCU earned four first-place votes and were predicted to finish second in the Heartland Conference.
 
THE CONE ERA HAS BEGUN
 - Collin Cone was hired as the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Lubbock Christian University in April of 2022, coming to LCU after leading the men's soccer team at LeTourneau University for the last four seasons. He posted back-to-back winning records in 2021 and the 2020-21 season, and had the team improve in every year he was the head coach. The YellowJackets 6-5 showing in the 2020-21 season was the program's first winning season since 2010.
- Cone also spent three years at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. He played a key role in the recruiting efforts for the Lancers while working with the goalkeepers. In his final season at Grace, the Lancers won the Crossroads League Championship for the first time in 25 years and made it to the NAIA National Championship for the first time in 35 seasons. Cone's time at Grace as a coach was marked by one conference championship, one NAIA national championship, two NCCAA National Tournaments, and two regional tournament titles.


SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
- Colo. Colorado Springs was predicted to finish tied for seventh in the RMAC preseason poll.
- The Mountain Lions enter the match with a 2-1-1 record. UC Colorado Springs knocked off no. 7 Fort Hayes State 2-0 earlier this season. The Lions are coming off a 3-0 win over MSU-Billings. Lars Walczyk and Abe Lopez scored a pair of goals in the 42nd and 44th minute, while Kolby Raineri scored the finishing blow in the 86th minute. 
- Declan Domyan has recorded three shutouts this season in goal for UCCS. Domyan has recorded 12 saves so far this season, including a season-high six against Northwest Nazarene.
- Raineri along with Alex Anderson were named RMAC Players to Watch for the 2022 season. Raneri has scored one goal this season and leads the Mountain Lions in shots with 13 and in shots on goal with five. Andersson meanwhile has tallied five shots with three of them on goal in two games played this season.Andersson is the reigning RMAC Player of the Year, finishing the 2021 fall campaign with 12 goals and two assists in just ten matches.
- UCCS head coach Lewis Wilcox enters his fourth season with the Mountain Lions. Last year, Wilcox helped guide the Lions to an 8-8-1 record, their best mark since the 2018 season. As a player at Midland University from 2011-14, Wilcox finished with the program record in shutouts while earning All-Conference honors.

THE SERIES WITH THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
The Chaps and Mountain Lions will meet for the fourth time on Wednesday, with UCCS holding a 2-1 series lead. LCU did win the last meeting on Sept. 6, 2019 in Lubbock, a 1-0 final. Fernando Flores scored the lone goal of the match in the 55th minute, while Braxton Thorne picked up three saves in the shutout win. Lubbock Christian has never won in Colorado Springs against the Mountain Lions, falling 1-0 on Sept. 2, 2016 and 2-1 on Aug. 31, 2018. 

A WIN WOULD 
- Be the Chaps first ever win at Mountain Lion Field
- Be the first road win of the season

UP NEXT
LCU finishes their tour of Colorado with a match at no. 25 CSU-Pueblo on Friday, Sept. 9. Kickoff against the Thunderwolves is set for 8 PM.