NO. 3 SEED LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (8-7-4) at
NO. 1 SEED/ NO. 8 MIDWESTERN STATE (13-3-3)
Saturday, Nov. 15 –  Noon
Stang Park – Wichita Falls, Texas
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS:

• Lubbock Christian has advanced to the Lone Star Conference Tournament championship game for the second time in program history, taking on Midwestern State at noon on Saturday
• LCU had seven players honored with LSC Postseason awards, including Defensive Player of the Year Geoffroy Letienne and Academic Player of the Year Connor Pettigrew
• Lubbock Christian finished the regular season third in the LSC standings, after being picked sixth in the league's preseason poll in August
• Whichever team wins Saturday's matchup will claim the LSC's automatic qualification to the NCAA Tournament, which starts next week
• The Chaps and Mustangs met once during the regular season, with Midwestern State winning 2-0 on October 29 at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex

 
IN THEIR DEFENSE
Lubbock Christian earned its seventh clean sheet of the season on Wednesday, their most since 2023, when they also had seven. The last time they had more than seven in a season was 2021, when they had 10. The Chaps are allowing just 0.89 goals per game this year, which ranks third in the league. LCU opponents are averaging just 12.9 shots per game and have put only 87 on goal for a shots on goal percentage of .355. If the season ended today, LCU's goals against average of 0.89 would be the lowest for the team in the last 10 years, which is as far back as data is available.
 
HE'S A KEEPER
Playing as the last line of defense for every minute of every game this season has been Connor Pettigrew, LCU's graduate student goalkeeper. Winning LSC Goalkeeper of the Week twice this season, he finished the regular season with an conference-high 62 saves and has added eight more in two playoff wins. He has a goals against average of 0.89, seven shutouts and a save percentage of .802. Pettigrew has logged 1,710 minutes in 19 matches for the Chaparrals, which leads the league and is third-most among NCAA Division II goalkeepers. He has played 43 games in his four-year LCU career, posting a career record of 16-15-9.
 
LCU AT THE LSC TOURNAMENT
This is Lubbock Christian's fourth appearance in the Lone Star Conference Tournament since joining the league for the 2019-20 school year after a two-year hiatus. They previously reached the postseason in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and they are 4-2-1 all-time at the LSC Tournament. Their win over West Texas A&M in the quarterfinals was their first in the postseason since Nov. 12, 2021. The 2021 season was LCU's most successful in the tournament, as they won two games and played to a PK shootout in the conference championship game, where Midwestern State claimed the title.
 
AWARD CENTRAL
Seven Chaparrals were recognized on Tuesday for their performance this season with Lone Star Conference Postseason awards. Senior Geoffroy Letienne highlighted the group, earning Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection. Four Chaps – Joao Catafesta, Francisco Horta Jaramillo, Manu Nunez and Connor Pettigrew – were recognized on the All-LSC Second Team. Pettigrew was also named to the All-Academic team for the second-straight year. Adam Davison and Jack Brassey were named to the league's All-Freshman team.
 
OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
Because of the success of their defense, LCU has not often needed a large number of goals to win games, as evidenced by Wednesday's 1-0 win. The Chaps got that goal via a PK, converted by Letienne, who has now scored three time this season. Overall, LCU averaged just 1.11 goals this season, which is the third-lowest mark in the LSC. The have averaged 13.7 shots per game, putting 39.2 percent of those on goal. Nine different Chaparrals have scored, led by Francisco Horta with five. Manu Nunez leads the team in assists with five.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
LCU went 4-3-3 in road games during the season with wins at Adams State, St. Edward's (2) and West Texas A&M. In 2024, the Chaps went 3-3-2 in road games. The last time they had more wins than losses in road games was the 2023 season, when they were 3-1-4. Their best season on the road was in 2013, when they went 6-2-0. Stang Park, where the Mustangs have played soccer since 1972, features spectator seating for 1,200 fans and a natural grass playing surface.
 
LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET
The Chaps and Mustangs faced off in LCU's second-to-last game of the regular season, with MSU winning 2-0 at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex. LCU led 6-5 in shots on goal, but goals in both halves by MSU earned them the 2-0 win. Liam Pritchard scored the game-winner in the 33^rd minute and Liam Kervick found the back of the net in the 83^rd minute to ice the game. There were eight yellow cards shown in the match.
 
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS

• Midwestern State is making its seventh consecutive appearance in the Lone Star Conference Men's Soccer Championship final and seeks its fifth straight title
• The Mustangs advanced to the tournament final with a 2-0 win against UT Tyler in the semifinals
• MSU has recorded 10 shutouts this season, including seven in their last nine matches
• Pritchard was named the LSC Midfielder of the Year and MSU earned the Coaching Staff of the Year
• Midwestern State has earned 11 straight berths in the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship and seeks its 20th all-time appearance this year

 
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD
- Be the 128th in Lubbock Christian program history (127-108-41)
- Be the 27th under head coach Collin Cone (26-25-10)
- Be the Chaps' first-ever win against Midwestern State since the all-time series began in 2014 (0-11-4)