TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler men's soccer will now look ahead to the Lone Star Conference slate as they wrapped up their non-conference matches on Wednesday night with a 2-0 defeat to St. Mary's.
 
The Patriots hung neck and neck with the Rattlers throughout the match, but a pair of second half goals proved all the difference on the evening.
 
The game started with the Rattlers getting off a shot in the first minute of play, but keeper Alan Johnson held his line and made the save. Just a couple minutes later, Luan Rangel found a time to strike as the Rattlers keeper was off his line. Rangel struck a shot from midfield, but it rattled off the crossbar and stayed out.
 
The Rattlers would post six shots in a 10 minute stretch, but the score remained 0-0. That set up the Patriots own run, with Jordan Toy rocketing a shot off the bar and Rangel nearly finding the net only for it to be saved.
 
The two teams combined for 17 shots in the first half and six total corner kicks as the action stayed fast and furious throughout. All of that action led to a boiling point in the 50^th minute, as St. Mary's finally broke through with their first goal of the match.
 
The Patriots would finally get a big chance of their own in the second half in the 68^th minute, but the shot from Julian Smith would be smothered by the Rattlers keeper and the score remain 1-0.
 
St. Mary's would tack on one more goal in the 80^th minute as they collected a rebound off of a block before netting the goal to put the Patriots firmly out of reach.
 
The Patriots put up 14 total shots in the match, with Smith and Omar Belahna each recording three. Of those shots, just three went on goal, as Smith and Rangel combined for all three of those.
 
UT Tyler will now be back in action on October 2^nd at the Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex as they take on DBU to round out their three match homestand. That contest will double as the LSC opener for the Patriots and also Military Appreciation Night.