CANYON, Texas – Alexander Vencel saved a penalty in the second half as No. 6 West Texas A&M defeated Midwestern State 1-0 in the Lone Star Conference Championship on Monday evening at The Pitch in Canyon. The Buffs finish the 2021 spring season at 8-2-0 after winning the regular season and tournament titles.
Vencel was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament with Bryan Martinez, Giancarlo Saldana, Payne McKiver and Stefan Andjelic named to the All-Tournament team.
The Buffs had the first real chance of the game in the 6th minute when Giancarlo Saldana got past his defender but his shot went off the crossbar. WT continued to find space in the final third as Stefan Andjelic and Sean Ryan both forced saves from MSU's Taylor Lampe later in the first half.
Saldana scored the only goal of the game in the 43rd after MSU's Colby Parton committed a foul just outside the penalty area. The junior curled the ball perfectly past the wall and into the back of the net for his 10th goal of the season giving the Buffs a lead right before halftime.
WT was awarded a penalty in the opening minute of the second half as Denis Herrera was taken down in the penalty area. The junior placed the kick at the far post but Lampe guessed right to make the save and deny the Buffs a chance to double the advantage.
The Buffs defense hunkered down as the Mustangs started to push numbers forward in search of an equalizer over the next 25 minutes. The visitors were awarded a lifeline in the 72nd minute in the form of penalty kick after Callum Doyle was judged to have been late on tackle inside the penalty area. MSU's Rory O'Keeffe put power behind his right footed shot but Vencel was there to keep the Buffs in the lead.
Vencel would make his final save of the game and his collegiate career in the 84th minute on LSC Player of the Year Trevor Amann to seal the Buffs first LSC Tournament title since 2000.
