TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler men's soccer starts their 2025 season 1-0 and starts the season off with a win for the first time since 2022 after a brilliant goal from Henrique Caputo.
 
The Patriots and DBU began the night with a defensive battle, with the first shot by either side not being recorded until the 15^th minute of play. From there it was a flurry of offense, with UT Tyler putting together three shots in the span of two minutes, but neither side found the netting.
 
The one and only shot on goal in the first half came from DBU in the 23^rd minute of play, but UT Tyler keeper Niclas Becker held his line and made the save.
 
DBU would come out hot in the first minutes of the second half of play, recording the first three shots of the half. However, the game continued to be a stalemate offensively, with neither side gaining an edge.
 
That changed in the 74^th minute, as a DBU turnover led to a long ball up the field from the Patriots. That long ball found Jason Verhoogen, who dropped off a perfect pass to a streaking Caputo, who slotted the shot home right past the DBU keeper and made it 1-0.
 
DBU would bring the pressure to answer, putting three shots up in the final 10 minutes, but Becker remained tall, making one more save and preserving his clean sheet in his Patriots debut.
 
Caputo scores his first goal in a Patriots uniform in the win, while Verhoogen adds his first assist in his first game with UT Tyler. Additionally, Niclas Becker recorded a shutout in his first game with the Patriots and the first Patriots shutout since 11/6/24 against Sul Ross State.
 
UT Tyler will now get back to work on September 11^th as they take on #17 UCCS back at Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex.