TYLER, Texas -- UT Tyler waited a very long time for its home opener this season, and the Patriots showed plenty of bright spots during a 1-0 defeat to Midwestern State Wednesday evening. However, Midwestern State overcame UT Tyler's 9-4 edge in shots and scored the game's only goal early in the second half to produced a one-goal road win over the Patriots.

Valentina Carvajal put a 58th-minute corner kick into a very dangerous spot in front of the UT Tyler goal. Although she couldn't connect the long cross to a teammate, she was able to lift it just over the goalkeeper for a deflection off a Patriot defender into the goal. It was only the second shot of the game for the Mustangs, who got off to a slow start and produced only 1 shot in the entire first half.

UT Tyler, meanwhile, had several first-half scoring chances, and one of the best was a cross off the right foot of Ashlynn Thomas in the 40th minute. Thomas tried to find Zoe Hensley along the far post but her cross instead bounced directly off the post and directly into the hands of MSU goalkeeper Taylor Camp.

In all, the Patriots held a 6-1 shots advantage in the first half and finished with a 9-4 edge in shots. Midwestern State's only shot on goal was Carvajal's corner kick. Kaycee West, Kiersten Ehler, and Jordan Colbert each recorded 2 shots for UT Tyler,.

With the defeat, UT Tyler fell to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in Lone Star Conference play, while Midwestern State improved to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the LSC.

The Patriots return to action on Wednesday, March 17, with a St. Patrick's Day visit to DBU for a 7 p.m. Lone Star Conference matchup.