LAST TIME OUT
 
Last week the Patriots faced off with a pair of GNAC opponents in Saint Martin's and Simon Fraser at the Toyota Soccer Complex. On Thursday, they took on the Saints and battled to a 1-0 defeat as the game was decided on just a penalty kick in the second half. Against the Red Leafs on Saturday, the Patriots responded to a 1-0 deficit at halftime with two second half goals, one from Oscar Sosa and one from Hugo Marques, to take a 2-1 win and wrap up non-conference play for the season.
 
THE PRESEASON POLL
 
The Patriots were selected 7^th in the 2025 Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, slipping just one spot back from their finish in the 2024 campaign. Midwestern State, St. Mary's, St. Edward's, DBU, and West Texas A&M made up the top five in the poll.
 
Oscar Sosa and William Kenne were selected as LSC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players to Watch.
 
This week will begin the LSC slate for the entirety of the Lone Star Conference, with five games scheduled for Wednesday night.
 
THE PATRIOTS
 
The Patriots and Dallas Baptist have faced off once this season already, coming back on opening day of the 2025 campaign. That game was held at Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex, where UT Tyler took a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Henrique Caputo in the 74^th minute.
 
DBU has moved to 3-3-1 overall on the year, but dropped their two games last week to Seattle Pacific and Western Washington. As a team, DBU has scored six goals on the year while averaging 13.6 shots per game. Their opponents have posted eight goals while averaging 9.6 shots per game.
 
Caleb Centeno and Erik Oliveira have two goals each this season to lead the team. Three different goalkeepers have seen work, with Patrich Banich seeing the majority of the action. He has played in five games while making 11 total saves and posting a goals against average of 0.71.
 
The two teams have met 15 times all-time, with UT Tyler leading the series at 8-5-2. The two teams are 1-1-2 over their last four games and DBU leads 1-0-1 in LSC play over the last two years.
 
 
THE BUFFS
 
West Texas A&M is 3-3 on the year through non-conference play, and last week took a 2-0 win over Saint Martin's but dropped a 4-0 decision to Simon Fraser. The Buffs have scored seven goals on an average of 12.3 shots per game, while their opponents have scored six goals on an average of 10.2 shots per game.
 
D'Jonte Davis leads the Buffs with three goals this year along with one assist. In net, Zach Kos has gotten five starts in six games, posting 15 saves while allowing a 1.20 goals against average.
 
In the seven previous meetings, West Texas A&M holds a 4-0-3 record. Each of the last two meetings have been draws, and the Patriots have never defeated the Buffs in a matchup history that dates back to October 3, 2019.
 
PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS
 

• UT Tyler went 4-6-7 in 2024 and 2-2-6 in LSC play on their way to their third berth in the LSC Tournament in program history.
• The only coach in program history, Kenny Jones, is in the midst of his 26^th season as a head coach and 23^rd season with the Patriots. He is 243-105-61 with UT Tyler and is 265-133-65 all-time.
• 2024 All-LSC Honorees Oscar Sosa, Danny DeMarais, and Diego Cruz lead 14 total returners back into the fray as they look to push the program to the next step.
• DeMarais led the team in goals in 2024 with five and in points with 12. Of the nine different goal scorers for the Patriots last season, four make their return, and those four accounted for 12 total goals.
• As a team, the Patriots scored 1.24 goals per game last year and recorded a .410 shots on goal percentage.
• Defensively, they held their opponents to 1.41 goals per game and a .386 shots on goal percentage.
• The Patriots have scored seven goals to start the season, an average of one per game. Luan Rangel and Noe Coutiño have each scored a pair, while Henrique Caputo, Oscar Sosa, and Hugo Marques have each scored one.
• Goalkeeper Niclas Becker has started all but one game thus far and has totaled 518:17 minutes. He has 16 saves to his record and a goals against average of 1.04.