CANYON, Texas - The West Texas A&M men's soccer team closes the 2017 regular season in search of its second straight Heartland Conference West Division title with a Thursday evening matchup against UT Permian Basin at 7 p.m., and a Saturday afternoon clash with Eastern New Mexico on Senior Day beginning at 1 p.m.
The Buffs are 10-4-1 overall and 8-3-1 in Heartland Conference play with a one game lead on UTPB in the division and a four point lead on the Falcons overall in conference play based on three points for a conference win and one point for a tie. If the season ended today, WT would win the West Division and host a Heartland Conference quarterfinal matchup on Halloween at The Pitch against the No. 6-seed St. Mary's Rattlers. WT would be the No. 3-seed in the tournament with the winner Tuesday advancing to the conference semifinals, at regular season champion Midwestern State, for a matchup with No. 2-seeded St. Edward's on next Friday.
Fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming of the games at www.gobuffsgo.com on the men's soccer schedule page as James Hadnot will have play-by-play action of both games this week.
WT has won three-straight games including a 4-0 win over Lubbock Christian last week and a 2-1 win at Eastern New Mexico. WT freshman goalkeeper Alexander Vencel was named Heartland Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the two wins last week. It was his first weekly honor of the season and second for the Buffs. Vencel improved to 10-4-1 on the wear with six saves and one goal against in 180 minutes, while facing 15 shots and had a 0.857 save percentage.
UTPB enters with a league-best five game winning streak, following a 13-2 loss at home to WT and a 2-0 loss to Midwestern State. The Falcons are 8-6-1 overall and 7-5 in Heartland Conference play. The Falcons have three-straight shutouts and have not allowed a goal in the last 356:50 minutes dating back to the seventh minute of the game in a 2-1 overtime win over St. Mary's on Oct. 12. UTPB is 6-2 in its last eight games, including the losses to WT and MSU.
On Saturday at halftime of the Eastern New Mexico game, the Buffs will honor ten seniors playing in their final regular season game in a WT uniform. The 2017 senior class includes; Evan Bozman, Mirza Dizdarevic, Shane Dockery, Sean Dublin, Chris Johnson, Felipe Silva, Lewis Tillman, Jr., Casey Tilly, Rafael Vasconcellos and Gabe Williams.
For the season, the Buffs are led by Challinor who leads the team with nine goals, two assists and 20 points. He has 39 shots (.231) with 18 on goal (.462) and a team-best four game winners. Challinor has played in all 15 games with 13 starts. Junior Julio Vargas is second in scoring with eight goals and three assists for 19 points. He has a team-high 51 shots (.157) with 24 on goal (471) and one game winner. Vasconcellos is third in scoring with 11 points on four goals and three assists. He is 1-1 in penalty kicks, as is junior Ivan Ulloa.
As a team, the Buffs have scored 43 goals with 30 assists for 116 points. WT has 263 shots (.163) with 125 on goal (.475), 10 game winners and are 2-2 in penalty kicks. Conversely, the opposition has scored 14 goals with nine assists for 37 points. The opponents have 129 shots (.109) with 63 on frame (.488), four game winners and are 1-2 in penalty kicks.
WT has scored 29 of its 43 goals in the second half, while recording 97 corner kicks for the year. The Buffs have 156 fouls on the season (191 opponents) with 25 cautions and one red card. The opponents have 31 cautions and one red card.
In goal, Vencel has logged 1366:03 minutes, allowing 13 goals for a 0.86 goals against average. He has 47 saves for a .783 save percentage and a 10-4-1 record with five shutouts. Vencel has faced 124 shots on the year. Tilly has played in one game this season for 22:07 minutes, allowing one goal facing one shot.
WT ranks sixth nationally in scoring offense at 2.87 goals per game, while ranking seventh in total goals (43) and seventh in total points (116). The Buffs are ninth in points per game (7.73), while ranking 15th in corner kicks per game (6.47) and 13th and 14th, respectively, in shots on goal per game (8.33) and shots per game (17.53). WT is 23rd in assists per game (2.00) and 26th in fouls per game at just 10.4 per contest.
Individually, Challinor is 18th nationally and third in the league in game winners with three, while ranking fourth in the league in goals per game (0.6) and sixth in points per game (1.33). He is fourth in total goals (9) and fifth in points (20). Vencel is fourth in the league in goals against average, at 0.856, while ranking fifth in save percentage (.783) and is third in shutouts with five. Bozman leads the league and is 37th nationally in assists with six.
The Buffs set numerous school and conference records in the first meeting with UTPB in a 13-2 blowout win on Sept. 30 in Odessa. WT tallied two hat tricks in the game from Vargas and Vasconcellos as it marked the first time WT had a hat trick by two players in the same game. The 13 goals tied for third-most goals scored in a match in Heartland Conference history and the most goals scored in a match in a league game in conference history. It also marked the most goals scored in a game by WT in program history. The win gave WT head coach Butch Lauffer 500 for his career coaching both the men's and women's programs at WT. He is 504-211-51 all-time in 27 seasons of coaching combining the men's and women's program and 314-144-34 at the helm of the men's program in 27 seasons. Lauffer was 190-67-17 in 14 seasons at the women's head coach from 1996-2009.
UTPB has been on fire as of late entering with five-straight wins and is led by Brandon Lee who leads the team with 12 goals, four assists and 28 points. He has a team-high 50 shots (.240) with 27 on frame (.540) with one game winner and 1-1 in penalty kicks. Stefan Faria is second in scoring with 11 points on four goals and three assists. He has 43 shots (.093) with 21 on goal (.488) and a team-high three game winners.
The Falcons had scored 30 goals in 15 games with 18 assists and 78 points. The team has 183 shots (.164) with 87 on goal (.475), seven game winners and 1-1 in penalty kicks. Conversely, the team is allowing 30 goals, 19 assists and 79 points as the opponents have 221 shots (.136) with 95 on goal (.430) and six game winners, while going 2-4 in penalty kicks. UTPB has 55 corner kicks and has 189 fouls with 24 cautions and three ejections for the year.
In goal, the Falcons has split time between Alex Sproule and Lucas Gomes. Sproule has played in 10 games, logging 871:53 minutes, allowing 16 goals (1.65 GAA), with 52 saves (.765) and a 7-3 record with four shutouts. Gomes has seen action in six games for 483:32 minutes, allowing 16 goals for a 2.98 goals against average and 27 saves. He has a 1-3-1 record with one shutout.
Nationally speaking, the Falcons second in the HC in saves per game at 5.27, while ranking third in fouls per game at 10.53. Lee leads the conference and is 18th nationally in points per game at 1.87, while ranking 19th nationally in goals per game at 0.80. Sproule is 28th in saves per game at 5.20 to lead the league, while Lee is 11th in total goals with 12 and 15th in points with 28. Sproule is fourth in the league in saves with 52.
WT leads the all-time series with UTPB 16-0-1 and the 13-2 win in Odessa earlier this season. The two teams tied 0-0 last year in Canyon and the Buffs are 9-0-1 at home all-time. WT has outscored UTPB 72-11 all-time with eight shutouts.
Eastern New Mexico is 3-12-1 overall and 2-10 in conference play. The Greyhounds will host Lubbock Christian on Thursday, before heading to Canyon for Saturday's finale. The Greyhounds have dropped their last three games, including the 2-1 win by WT in Portales last week. In that game, Challinor opened the scoring with a goal just 1:51 into the contest and he scored his second goal at the 23:20 mark for a 2-0 lead at half. ENMU's Christopher Mesquita scored at the 46:00 mark for a 2-1 score as neither team scored again. It was Challinor's third multi-goal match of the season.
The Greyhounds are led by Mesquita who leads the team with five goals, one assist and 11 points. He has 24 shots (.208) and 11 on goal (.458). Nicolai Alstrom is second in scoring with six points on two goals and two assists. He leads the team with two game winners and has 21 shots with 10 on goal.
As a team, the Greyhounds have scored 15 goals with nine assists for 39 points. ENMU has 181 shots (.083) with 72 on goal (.398) and is 3-4 in penalty kicks. Conversely, the opposition has scored 38 goals with 31 assists for 107 points and 314 shots (.121) with 136 on goal (.433) and 5-7 in penalty kicks.
In goal, the Greyhounds have use three goalkeepers this year in Yuri Nascimiento, Ryan Flores and Cody Wann. Wann played against WT, but was issued a red card as the Greyhounds played a man down for the final 30:54 as Nascimiento held WT scoreless with three saves, following Wann's ejection.
WT leads the all-time series with ENMU 18-7-3 and won in canyon last season 3-0. WT has won five of the last six meetings in the series and this will be the second meeting in the past three games for the Buffs.
For the latest on WT Athletics, follow the Buffs/Lady Buffs via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Also check back with www.gobuffsgo.com for the latest information on news, statistics, tickets and more on all of West Texas A&M athletics.
