CANYON, TEXAS – Rodrigo Mendes and Luis Mahecha picked up a pair of huge goals on the night as the Patriots scratched out a key result in the Lone Star Conference race on Saturday night against West Texas A&M.
 
It took just over seven minutes for the Buffs to find their way on net to take a 1-0 lead. A loose ball picked up in the Patriots end led to some open space, and they capitalized with a deep goal to take the early lead.
 
Just under eight minutes later, the Patriots had their answer as Rodrigo Mendes picked up his third goal of the season with a wonderous strike from his left foot that snuck just inside the left post to knot the score at 1-1.
 
With the early fireworks out of the way, both teams settled into a back and forth battle that saw both teams fire shots on goal throughout the first half as they each wanted to take the lead. However, in the 40^th minute of action, the Buffs would find their way yet again.
 
After controlling possession deep in the Patriots half, a trio of passes found their way right to the top of the box, and a bouncing shot managed to just slip inside the right post and give the Buffs a 2-1 lead.
 
At the half, the Patriots held a 6-5 shots advantage and a 3-1 corners advantage despite being down one goal.
 
In the second half, the Buffs held the offensive advantage early as they put the Patriots under pressure right from the whistle. The Buffs recorded four shots over the first 10 minutes but three of those were blocked and the other saved by keeper Luke Ryan to keep the deficit at just one.
 
Thato Meko would put the first shot on goal of the second half for UT Tyler in the 63^rd minute, forcing the Buffs keeper to make a stop going to his left. That shot would be just the second shot of the second half up to that point for the Patriots, as the Buffs continued to pour on the pressure.
 
That pressure led to four more shots by the Buffs following the lone shot on goal by Meko, but yet again the defense played big with another pair of blocks and Ryan making a pair of saves.
 
The Patriots finally got their big chance in the 76^th minute as they played solid defense from a Buffs corner and turned the ball loose on the counter attack. That initial clearance found its way to Luis Mahecha, who delivered a deep pass over the defense to a streaking Jordan Toy, who beat his man in the 1-on-1 and took it all the way into the box. Mahecha stepped on the gas and ran to give Toy support, and he was rewarded with a perfectly placed pass and he was able to finish it off for his second goal of the season.
 
That goal evened up the score at 2-2 with just over 14 minutes remaining in the contest. The Buffs would be able to put together just one more shot over those final 14 minutes, but Ryan was there to make another clutch save as the Patriots earned the huge result and a critical point.
 
Mendes picks up his third goal of the season, moving him up into a tie for second on the team with Lukas Paulun. For Mahecha, that is his second goal of the year and his second in just the last two games.
 
Goalkeeper Luke Ryan made four crucial saves in the second half after coming on as a substitution. His goals against average lowered to just .67 and his save percentage climbed to .852 for the year as he played a major role in the Patriots draw.
 
Next up for UT Tyler will be their final home game of the season at Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex as they host #24 St. Mary's. That game will also double as Blue Out, Alzheimer's Awareness, and Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day.