LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (4-5-1) vs.
UT TYLER (2-3-4, 0-2-1)
Saturday, October 3 – 3:30  p.m.
LCU Soccer & Track Complex – Lubbock, Texas
 
CHAPARRAL HEADERS

• Lubbock Christian University returns to the friendly confines of the LCU Soccer & Track Complex on Saturday, hosting UT Tyler at 3:30 p.m.
• LCU midfielder Joao Catafesta is coming off a five-point week, having scored a goal in games against St. Mary's and St. Edward's and adding an assist against the Hilltoppers
• UT Tyler went 2-0-1 through their first three games of the season but has not won since then, including back-to-back losses in which they allowed three goals in each game
• LCU freshman Oliver Robinson is tied for fourth in the conference with 23 shots this season and leads the Chaparrals with 10 shots on goal
• Each of the last three matches between the Chaps and the Patriots have ended in a tie, with the last result coming in a 1-0 Lubbock Christian win in 2022

 
SEPTEMBER SLATE
The Chaparrals finished off their competition for the month of September on Wednesday, going 3-4-1 in the ninth month of the year. LCU averaged 1.63 goals per game during the month including a high of four against Sul Ross on Sept. 19. They averaged 11.8 shots per game and put 44.7 percent of those on goal. Alex Lachevre led the offense during the month with three goals and one assist, while, Joao Catafesta led team in minutes played with 681. LCU's defense posted a 1.50 goals against average in the month.
 
WHERE THE HEART IS
The Chaps are 4-1-1 at home so far this year and with wins against Adams State, Newman and Sul Ross and St. Edward's. This weekend's match is the seventh of 10 home matches for LCU this season. They have not posted more wins than losses in Lubbock since the 2022 campaign, when they were 4-2-3. 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. LCU's men have an all-time record of 65-42-22 in home games. The best season at home was just their second in existence, as they went 8-1-1 in 2011.
 
LOOKING AT THE LONE STAR
One week into conference play, defending league and national champion Midwestern State is at the top of the table with nine points at 3-0. St. Mary's (2-0) and Oklahoma Christian (1-0-2) are the only other two teams in the LSC still undefeated as well, sitting in second and third, respectively. Sul Ross is still at the bottom of the league with an 0-2 LSC record, and UTT is also currently below the Chaps and still left on the schedule LCU is tied with Dallas Baptist (0-0-3) and St. Edward's for sixth in the league, but owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with SEU. The top six teams by points at the end of the regular season will advance to the LSC Tournament, which will be hosted Nov. 8-15.
 
KEEPING UP WITH THE CHAPS
For the first time this season, Lubbock Christian started someone other than Milo Paci in goal, as Arath Valdez played all 90 minute against Texas A&M International. Paci, who suffered an injury in the first half of last week's matchup against SEU, has faced 93 shots, making 29 saves with a .707 save percentage so far this year, playing at least part of the game in all three LCU shutouts this year. Valdez, a transfer from Dalas College-Richland, has made 14 saves in 135 minutes of action, posting a save percentage of .875 on 34 shots faced.
 
OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
With one goal against the Dustdevils the Chaps now have a scoring average of 1.60, which ranks fourth-best in the conference. They have only been shut out once, and that was in a game where they played with only 10 men for 80 minutes. LCU is averaging 13.0 shots per game and has put 42.3 percent of those on goal. Eight different players have found the back of the net so far this year, including five players with at least two goals after Robinson scored against TAMIU. Catafesta had the helper on the goal and now leads the team in that category with three.
 
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Lubbock Christian lost a lot from their 2025 LSC runner-up team, which means the 2026 edition of the Chaps have been relying on a number of newcomers. Of the five LCU players who have started all eight games so far this year, three – goalkeepers Milo Paci and Arath Valdez, defender Max Moorahrend and midfielder Alex Lachevre – are brand new to LCU. The Chaparral leader in shots with 20 – forward Oli Robinson – is also new, and the Chaps have also relied heavily on newcomers Finn Wijnen, Tom Unwin and Jackson Preece.
 
SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS

• UT Tyler is allowing 1.78 goals per game, which is the third-worst in the LSC, and they are one of only four league teams with a negative scoring margin
• The Patriots have only scored once in their last four games, netting one goal in 3-1 loss at West Texas A&M on Sept. 26
• Senior forward Noe Coutino leads the UTT offense with three goals this season on only four shots on goal
• Head coach Kenny Jones is in his 25^th season leading the Patriots and has been the only coach in program history, posting an all-time record of 242-105-64
• UT Tyler has played two goalkeepers fairly evenly, with both allowing eight goals, but Niclas Becker posting a better save percentage at .742

 
A WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD:
• Be the 133rd in Lubbock Christian program history (132-114-42)
• Be the 32nd under head coach Collin Cone (31-31-21)
• Be the Chaps' sixth win against UT Tyler since the all-time series began in 2019 (5-0-3)