Box Score / Season Statistics

Newman 9-27-14: (Live Stats / Tickets)
 
Buffalo Soccer Game Notes
 
CANYON, Texas – The Buffalo soccer team of West Texas A&M rebounded with a 2-1 win over Oklahoma Christian on Thursday night in front of a home crowd at The Pitch. The first 88 minutes of the match were not as close as the final score would show as the Buffs controlled the match, outshooting the Eagles 21-6, but conceded a late goal in the 89^th minute. Seniors Vitor Cardoso and Michael Williams contributed scores as WT improves to 5-2 with the win. OCU now falls to 1-3-1 with the loss.
 
The Buffs dominated time of possession and created numerous scoring opportunities throughout the first frame of action at The Pitch on Thursday night. They came early and often for the home team as sophomore Chris Johnson took a quick strike from the right wing right into the hands of OCU keeper Evan Helker just 42 seconds in.
 
Cardoso and senior Christopher Hutton had plenty of chances in the first half as well. The first for Cardoso came in the 9^th minute while Hutton's was in the 13^th, both attempts on-goal and stopped by Helker. Hutton's shot came off of some crisp passing at the top of the box from Johnson and Cardoso, leaving the senior wide open but he could not get the right foot on it, giving Helker an easy save.
 
Over the next 10 minutes, Johnson would grab nice header opportunities in the middle of the box off of some corner kicks and crosses but sent each one wide of the left post. The Buffs had two more great opportunities in the 27^th and 29^th minutes from juniors Austin Henderson and George Beasley both finding aim on target but being stopped by Helker.
 
Cardoso then broke through for the early 1-0 lead for the Buffs at the 31:18 mark. The Sao Paulo, Brazil, native, took a pass at the top of the eighteen and dribbled about five yards towards the right wing before taking an off-balanced shot, appearing to turn the ball wide left, which snuck between the reach of Helker and the left post. It would be Cardoso's third goal of the season and second in the previous three games.
 
Cardoso had another good attempt less than a minute later before the Eagles were able to generate their first and only shot of the half, taken by Ante Susic.
 
The Buffs held a strong advantage on the stat sheet in the first half leading 13-1 in shots overall and 8-0 in shots-on-goal. Cardoso, Hutton, and Johnson led the way for WT with three attempts each while seven Buffs registered shots in the first 45 minutes.
 
WT set the tone early once again in the second half, generating an early corner at the 46:39 mark, taken by freshman Harry Osborne. The Buffs could not put together a scoring chance on that attempt but would find the net again just two minutes later. Williams would take the ball inside the opponent's eighteen before dishing off to the close right wing to fellow senior Christopher Hutton. Hutton then sent the ball immediately back for Williams sliding towards the goal line in the middle of the box to tap in the insurance goal.
 
The Eagles would find a little rhythm themselves in the ensuing minutes as they grabbed a few corner kick opportunities and found good shot-on-goal chances by Domenico DeGrazia and Cody McLemore. Both would be stopped by WT's starter in goal tonight, senior Carlos Ruiz.
 
WT nearly found a third goal in around the 71^st minute with back-to-back shots-on-goal by redshirt junior Tre Norton and sophomore Christian Suthers. Both chances would be taken care of Helker.
 
The Buffs would slip defensively in the final five minutes of the match giving the visitors a few dangerous opportunities. The Eagles would convert one in the 89^th minute but it would be too late as the Buffs hung on for the 2-1 victory. Troy Tippeconnic sent a cross in from the close right wing to Seth Brown who found the back of the net to pull OCU within one.
 
WT held a strong advantage in shots tonight with 21 to the Eagles' six. The Buffs also placed 12 of those attempts on goal. Cardoso totaled five for a team-high while three other Buffs finished with three. Ruiz picked up his second win of the season as he stopped two shots and allowed one goal. Helker received the loss and falls to 1-3-1 on the year as he grabbed 10 saves and conceded two scores.
 
The Buffs improve to 6-0 all-time against the Eagles with the win tonight.
 
WT will return to action on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. as it welcomes Newman to The Pitch in Canyon, Texas for the fourth of a six-game home stretch. Live stats will be available courtesy of West Texas A&M Athletic Media Relations. Links can be found on the top of the page or on www.GoBuffsGo.com via the men's soccer schedule page.
 
NEWMAN AT A GLANCE: The Jets have begun the 2014 season with a 6-1-1 record while having a fairly easy schedule thus far. They have played four of their eight games against non-Division II competition, resulting in 27 of their 28 goals scored this season (prior to tonight's matchup with Eastern New Mexico). NU opened up the year with back-to-back contests against Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) opponents, defeating William Jewell in its season-opener 1-0 before playing to a 0-0 draw with Maryville. The Jets then won their next three games, defeating Sterling College (6-2), Hillsdale Baptist (13-0), and Friends (4-3). They then took their first loss at home to No. 20 Midwestern State, 2-0, followed by a 4-0 win over Barclay College. The Jets traveled to Portales, N.M. earlier tonight where they defeated ENMU by a score of 2-1.
 
Kerbson Lubin has accounted for five total goals, including two game-winners, and 12 points (both team-highs) and tallied two assists as well. Vitor Okamoto has also added five goals for the Jets. Nine total players have registered goals for the team so far. The Jets have split time evenly between both Steven Hamersky and Calum Dillon, giving both guys three starts each.
 
The Buffs are 2-0 all-time against the Jets. The last meeting between the two teams was a 3-1 win for WT in Canyon on Sept. 23, 2011.