PUEBLO, Colo. - The Chaps finish off their four-match road trip in Colorado with a matchup against nationally ranked CSU Pueblo on Friday, Sept. 9.

Lubbock Christian (2-2-1) at No. 25 CSU Pueblo (3-2)
Friday, Sept. 9 - 8 PM
Pueblo, Colo. - Gonzales Stadium

CHAP HEADERS
• Lubbock Christian is coming off a 3-1 loss to Colo. Colorado Springs. Kolby Raineri scored two goals and tallied an assist, becoming the first opposing player to record five points against the Chaps since Salvador Vargos Ramos of Texas Permian Basin did so on Nov. 3, 2021.

• Jasper Reese has played all 90 minutes in every single match so far this season. The last time Reese came off the pitch in a start for the Chaps was in the 60th minute on Nov. 3, 2021 against Texas Permain Basin

• Jordan Jayapuram has attempted two shots this season, with both of those resulting in goals. Jayapuram also has two assists this season for the Chaps.

• This is the first time this season the Chaps have faced a nationally ranked opponent. LCU went 3-3-1 against nationally ranked opponents last season, with wins over no. 6 West Texas A&M, no. 17 West Texas A&M and no. 24 St. Mary's. The Chaps are 4-14-4 all-time against ranked teams.

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.

FURTHER BACK
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.

ROAD WOES
The Chaps are currently 0-2 in true road matches, being outscored 5-1 this season. LCU's last road win was an upset, a 4-2 win over no. 24 St. Mary's in San Antonio on Oct. 30, 2021. LCU is 3-6-2 in their last 11 true road matches. Lubbock Christian has not had a winning record on the road since 2018 when the Chaps went 5-4-1. 

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 5-8-0 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, Pennsylvania, 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 THUNDERWOLVES
- CSU Pueblo was predicted to finish third in the RMAC preseason poll.
- The Wolves enter the match ranked no. 25 in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings with a 3-2 record. CSU Pueblo is coming off a 2-1 loss to LSC member St. Mary's 2-1 on Thursday. In wins this season, the Wolves have outscored opponents 12-1 and in losses have been outscored 4-2.
- Gabriel Campora is tied for the national lead in goals scored this season with six. As a team, CSU Pueblo is tenth in all of Division-II avreraging 3.25 goals a match. Campora is also averaging 3.25 points per game, tied for sixth in the nation.
- Defending RMAC co-freshman of the year Lamar Bynum returns to Pueblo. Last season, Bynum scored four goals and tallied an assist in 1899 minutes played while guiding  defense to 13 shutouts. This season, Bynum has a goal on three shots in 314 minutes played. 
- CSU Pueblo head coach Oliver Twelvetrees enters his third season with the Thunderwolves. Twelvetrees previously started the Eastern Florida JC soccer program, guiding them to back-to-back national semifinal apperances in 2018 and 2019, while guiding the Titans to 31 wins in two seasons.

THE SERIES WITH THE THUNDERWOLVES
The Chaps and Thunderwolves will meet for the fourth time on Friday, with LCU holding a 2-1 series lead. Last season in Lubbock, Ezequiel Fidabel scored the golden goal in the 97th minute to give the Chaps the 1-0 victory. The match was chippy, with 28 combined fouls and seven combined yellow cards. The two teams last met in Pueblo in 2016, with the Thunderwolves winning 2-1. 

A WIN WOULD
- Be the Chaps first road win of the season
- Be the Chaps fifth win all-time over a ranked team

UP NEXT
The Chaps stay on the road, heading to Oklahoma City to face Oklahoma Christian in a nonconference clash on Wednesday, Sept. 14