LAST TIME OUT

UT Tyler men's soccer moved to 3-5-4 overall and 1-4-1 in Lone Star Conference play after splitting a pair of conference matches last week, falling 1-0 at St. Mary's before responding with a dominant 7-0 victory over Sul Ross State. The Patriots traveled to San Antonio Wednesday to face the Rattlers before returning home Saturday to host the Lobos at Citizens First Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex for Alumni Day and Military Appreciation Day.

The Patriots battled St. Mary's through nearly the entire match Wednesday night, holding the Rattlers scoreless for 89 minutes before a late goal resulted in a 1-0 setback at Sigma Beta Chi Field. UT Tyler generated several opportunities throughout the contest, with Noe Coutino recording multiple first-half attempts and Jamie Joyce registering the Patriots' first shot just over four minutes into the match. Niclas Becker made two saves in the opening half to help send the teams into halftime scoreless and finished with three saves on the night. UT Tyler continued to push forward after the break, with Coutino forcing a save in the 86th minute and Luis Martinez putting a shot on target in the 89th minute. However, St. Mary's found the breakthrough at the 89:02 mark, leaving the Patriots with little time to respond. UT Tyler finished with nine shots, including three on goal, in the narrow conference defeat.

The Patriots returned home Saturday and delivered their most explosive offensive performance of the season, defeating Sul Ross State 7-0 to earn their first Lone Star Conference victory. UT Tyler wasted little time taking control, with Jamie Joyce opening the scoring at 4:39 before Coutino doubled the lead in the eighth minute off an assist from Caden Naizer. Luis Martinez added a third goal at 10:10 off a pass from Joyce, and Yanis Lasri found the net at 21:49 to give the Patriots a 4-0 advantage at halftime. UT Tyler continued its offensive pressure in the second half as Henrique Caputo scored at 50:47 off an assist from Azael Ochoa, followed by Joyce's second goal of the afternoon at 53:26. Fabrice Ndayishimiye capped the scoring in the 77th minute, finishing a pass from Coutino to secure the 7-0 victory. Joyce led the Patriots with two goals and an assist for five points, while Coutino contributed a goal and an assist. Martinez, Lasri, Caputo and Ndayishimiye each added a goal, while Naizer and Ochoa recorded assists. UT Tyler outshot Sul Ross State 24-5, including an 11-2 advantage in shots on goal. Becker made one save before Bronson Paus added another in the second half as the Patriots recorded their fourth shutout of the season.

The Patriots will look to build on their first conference victory as they continue Lone Star Conference play, carrying momentum from Saturday's seven-goal performance and a strong defensive effort into their match Wednesday, October 14th at Texas A&M International. They head back home Saturday, October 17th to take on St. Edward's and celebrate Senior Day.

PATS STATS

Through 12 matches, UT Tyler has received contributions from throughout its lineup. Noe Coutiño leads the Patriots with nine points on four goals and one assist, followed by Jamie Joyce with seven points on three goals and one assist. Jaime Casado, Yanis Lasri, Luis Martinez and Azael Ochoa have each recorded three points, while Henrique Caputo, Hugo Dunger, Bryan Garcia Valle, Fabrice Ndayishimiye, Landon Neely and Dennis Nyame have each contributed two points.

Coutiño leads the Patriots with four goals, while Joyce has added three. Casado, Lasri, Martinez, Ochoa, Caputo, Dunger, Garcia Valle, Ndayishimiye, Neely and Nyame have each scored once. The Patriots have scored 18 goals on 122 shots, putting 46 attempts on target. Joyce leads the team with a .500 shots-on-target percentage among players with multiple shots on goal, while Casado has put four of his seven attempts on frame for a .571 shots-on-target percentage.

Coutiño leads the Patriots with 19 shots, followed by Martinez with 20 and Nyame with 14. Joyce and Neely have each recorded 12 shots, while Lasri has added 11. Coutiño leads UT Tyler with seven shots on goal, followed by Joyce and Martinez with six each and Neely with five. Casado, Caputo and Nyame have each recorded four shots on target.

Defensively, the Patriots have allowed 18 goals through 12 matches. Niclas Becker has made 31 saves with a .756 save percentage and a 1.30 goals-against average across 689:58 minutes. Beaux Benson has recorded 18 saves with a .692 save percentage and a 2.00 goals-against average in 360:28 minutes, while Bronson Paus has added one save without allowing a goal in 29:34 minutes. Together, the UT Tyler goalkeepers have made 50 saves and posted a .735 team save percentage, recording three combined shutouts.

PATRIOTS NEWS AND NOTES
 

• UT Tyler posted an 8-8-3 overall record last season, advancing to the Lone Star Conference Championship Semifinals. At season's end, Luan Rangel earned D2CCA Second Team All-South Central Region and All-Lone Star Conference Second Team honors. William Kenne and Jaxson Stovall were named to the Lone Star Conference All-Tournament Team, while Sid Cleofe, Niko Vasileiou, Luan Rangel, Hugo Marques, William Kenne and Oscar Sosa earned CSC Academic All-District honors. Cleofe was also named to the Lone Star Conference Academic Team, while Niclas Becker earned Lone Star Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honors on Oct. 27.

• Noe Coutiño returns for the Patriots after playing in 19 matches last season, logging 1,165 minutes while scoring four goals and adding two assists. He recorded a .429 shots-on-goal percentage.

• Head coach Kenny Jones is in his 25th season at the helm of the program. Jones, the only head coach in program history, is 251-115-67 in his tenure at UT Tyler and earned his 250th career victory against Colorado School of Mines.

TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL

Texas A&M International enters the matchup with a 5-5-2 overall record and a 2-3-1 mark in Lone Star Conference play. The Dustdevils are riding a two-match losing streak and have gone 2-2-1 at home, 3-3-1 on the road and 0-0 at neutral sites this season.

Through 12 matches, Texas A&M International has scored 15 goals while allowing 21, averaging 1.25 goals and 11.3 shots per match. The Dustdevils have put 53.3 percent of their 135 shots on target, recording 72 shots on goal. TAMIU has also recorded 12 assists and 53 corner kicks this season. The Dustdevils have converted none of their penalty-kick attempts, going 0-for-1 from the spot.

Defensively, Texas A&M International has allowed 21 goals through 12 matches, with opponents averaging 1.75 goals and 13.8 shots per game. Opponents have recorded 83 shots on goal, while the Dustdevils have made 62 saves. TAMIU has also committed 165 fouls and received 36 yellow cards and four red cards this season, compared to 28 yellow cards and one red card for its opponents.

Historically, the Patriots hold a record of 6-2-2 against the Dustdevils.

ST. EDWARD'S

St. Edward's enters the matchup with a 3-6-2 overall record and a 2-3 mark in conference play. The Hilltoppers are coming off a victory and have gone 2-3-2 at home, 1-3 on the road and 0-0 at neutral sites this season.

Through 11 matches, St. Edward's has scored 15 goals while allowing 15, averaging 1.36 goals and 14.2 shots per match. The Hilltoppers have put 35.3 percent of their 156 shots on target, recording 55 shots on goal. St. Edward's has also recorded 15 assists and 42 corner kicks this season. The Hilltoppers have yet to convert a penalty kick, going 0-for-3 from the spot.

Defensively, St. Edward's has allowed 15 goals through 11 matches, with opponents averaging 1.36 goals and 15.1 shots per game. Opponents have recorded 72 shots on goal, while the Hilltoppers have made 57 saves. St. Edward's has also committed 129 fouls and received 21 yellow cards and one red card this season, compared to 30 yellow cards and one red card for its opponents.

The Patriots currently hold a historical record of 2-1-2 against the Hilltoppers, with their first match coming in 2019.