TYLER, TEXAS – On a night that celebrated the 20 year anniversary of the 2003 UT Tyler Men's Soccer National Championship team, the Patriots put together an offensive night that made that team proud.  
 
UT Tyler held a strong shot advantage for a majority of the night and never trailed as they move their LSC record to 1-0-1 and move their unbeaten streak to nine consecutive games.
 
UT Tyler and St. Edward's played nearly square over the first 45 minutes of the contest, as the Patriots held the advantage in shots by just 3-2. The biggest action faced over the first 43 minutes was an easy save from goalkeeper Luke Ryan as he ranged to his left and collected a shot from the Hilltoppers.
 
All of that changed in the 44^th minute, as the offensive pressure from the Patriots finally broke through. The ball found its way into the box from Jordan Toy, but the Hilltoppers regained possession. They attempted to clear, but the ball was deflected right to the feet of Philip Akem Jr., and he slotted home the shot for the 1-0 lead.
 
In the early minutes of the second half, the two programs would trade shots on goal, but nobody was able to find the netting. The Patriots again put together some offensive pressure, this time in the 72^nd minute. Again it was Toy on the run, and he was drug down from behind in a play that resulted in a red card. That resulting free kick was sent over the bar, but the Patriots quickly regained possession off of a goal kick.
 
Oscar Sosa was the man first on the loose ball, and he connected on a long ball that seemed to be directed as a clearance all the way from the midfield stripe but found its way on goal and snuck by the Hilltoppers keeper to give them a 2-0 lead.
 
Just over a minute later, the Hilltoppers would find their first goal of the contest as they broke free in the midfield and struck a low shot that just snuck in inside the left post.
 
That goal seemed to put the Patriots back on edge, as they pushed the tempo yet again over the closing 15 minutes. Thato Meko was one of the catalysts of that push, and he earned his second penalty kick of the season in the 83^rd minute as he was taken down while making a run in the box.
 
Meko calmly dispatched the goal, making him 2-2 on the year in penalty kicks and giving him a team-high fourth goal this season.
 
Hugo Marques would put the final tally in the scorebox for the Patriots in the final minutes, as he picked up his first goal of the season with a ball that was deflected to his feet off of a blocked shot.
 
On the night, the Patriots held a 14-8 shots advantage and a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal. Goalkeeper Luke Ryan picked up four saves, and the Patriots held a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Philip Akem Jr. scored his second goal of the season with his first half goal.
 
Oscar Sosa scored his first career goal for the Patriots with his midfield strike.
 
Thato Meko scored his fourth goal of the year, with all four goals coming in the last 17 days.
 
Hugo Marques picked up his second goal of the year, joining his goal against CSU Pueblo on September 2^nd.
 
Luke Ryan tallied four saves in just his third start of the year. He now holds a goals against average of 0.52 and a save percentage of 0.833.
 
Next up for UT Tyler will be a matchup against #2 Midwestern State on the road Wednesday night. This will be the second time this season the Patriots have played the #2 ranked team, with the last being a 3-3 tie against then #2 CSU Pueblo.