TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler men's soccer picked up their first win of the 2024 season on Saturday night as they took down Jarvis Christian by a score of 1-0.
 
Julian Smith gave the Patriots the key goal in the 89^th minute of action and it was all the program needed on the night as Luke Ryan made four saves to hold the Bulldogs scoreless.
 
In the first half of play, Jarvis Christian was the team who took the early momentum as they spurred on a pair of shots on goal in the first 20 minutes. Goalkeeper Luke Ryan was steady in the net, making the saves on both shots.
 
Omar Belahna put up the first shot on goal of the game for the Patriots as he found the goalmouth in the 24^th minute. The Bulldogs keeper made the save, and the Bulldogs kept the momentum on their side, putting up another pair of shots on goal just seconds apart in the 26^th minute, and then putting one off the woodwork in the 44^th minute just before halftime.
 
In the second half, the Patriots ramped up the pressure, outshooting Jarvis Christian 10-2 in the final 45. Those shots came in bunches, as the Patriots shot four times in a 10 minute stretch from the 57^th minute onward and three more shots in a seven minute stretch from the 75^th minute on.
 
That offensive pressure finally paid off, as Naoyuki Tani drew a free kick in a dangerous position. Bryan Rivas-Guzman stepped up to take it, and he drilled it off the wall. The ball bounced around through several players before landing at the feet of Sam Coad. Coad dropped the pass over to Julian Smith, who drilled a right-footed shot just inside the right post for the game winner.
 
Smith now owns both goals for the Patriots through two games, and he took a team high four shots on the night. Rivas-Guzman, Belahna, Jose Ramos, and Mika Zarkesh each collected two shots each, and Sam Coad picked up the lone assist of the night.
 
UT Tyler will now be back in action next week as they hit the road for Colorado, where they will take on UCCS and CSU Pueblo in regional action.