LUBBOCK, Texas. – The Lubbock Christian University men's soccer program plays their first home match of 2023 this Thursday (Sept. 7) against Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Lubbock Christian (2-0) vs MSU Denver
Thursday September 7, 2023 – 7:00 p.m.
LCU Soccer & Track Facility – Lubbock, Texas
LAST TIME OUT
- The Chaps concluded their Colorado road trip with a 1-0 win over Adams State.
- Enzo Jaques scored the lone goal for the Chaps with an assist from Lucas Carli.
- The Chap defense held the Grizzlies scoreless and only allowed them to take five shots.
- Connor Pettigrew made two saves in the shutout.
CHAPARRAL HEADERS
- The Chaps are off to their first 2-0 start since the 2021 spring season. Outscoring their opponents 4-2 in their first two matches.
- The Chaps are averaging 15 shots a game so far this season, with a .400 shot on goal percentage.
- LCU has been penalized at a high rate through the first two games, with six yellow cards and a red card. In total, they've committed 23 fouls.
- Four different Chaps have found the back of the net in 2023. With Saimon Gjeci, Nako Amare, Pierluigi Paradiso, and Enzo Jaques scoring the Chap goals.
- Tom Miles and Connor Pettigrew held down the fort in goal for LCU in the opening weekend. Combining for eight saves and only conceding two goals.
- Senior Midfielder Jordan Jayapuram will make his season debut after missing the Colorado trip.
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 2023 season with an overall record of 108-89-27.
NEW YEAR, NEW TEAM
- LCU will feature 17 new players on the 2023 roster. Of those new players, four are true freshman, while the other 13 are transfers from either the junior college ranks or other universities.
- It is a diverse group, with six players from Texas, three from England, two from Italy, two from Spain, and the rest from France and Botswana internationally, along with new faces from Colorado and Arizona in the states.
PRESEASON POLL AND PLAYERS TO WATCH
- The Chaps were picked to finish sixth in the LSC preseason poll after finishing fourth in the conference standings a season ago.
- Along with the preseason poll the LSC announced an offensive, defensive, and goalkeeper to watch on each team throughout the season. For the Chaps Pablo Galietero Diez and Jelle Born were the offensive and defensive representatives, respectively. And Tom Miles was picked as the goalkeeper.
THE SERIES WITH MSU DENVER
- The Roadrunners hold a 2-0 all-time series record against LCU.
- Last season, the Chaps traveled to Denver and were defeated 2-0.
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
- The Roadrunners enter Thursday's match with a 1-1 record. Falling 3-1 to Fort Hays State (Kan.) and exploding for a 9-0 win over St. Cloud State (Minn.).
- Junior Forward Aaron Biggerstaff is off to a hot start for the Roadrunners, scoring three goals in the opening weekend of the season. He was named RMAC Offensive Player of the Week.
- Former Gatorade High School Player of the Year in the state of Kansas and 2022 D2CCA All-South Central Region second team selection Aidan Bates has picked up where he left off last season. He scored one goal and recorded an assist in the Roadrunners' first two games.
- MSU Denver is coached by Nick Kirchhof, a national champion as a player and a two-time national champion as an assistant coach. He was hired on Dec. 28, 2020, and has coached the Roadrunners to a 21-21-4 record overall.
- The Roadrunners were picked seventh in the RMAC preseason poll. After a 10-6-2 record in 2022.
A WIN WOULD
- Give the Chaps their first 3-0 start since the 2019 season.
- Give the Chaps their first win all-time against MSU Denver.
- Give LCU their 112th win in program history.
