CANYON, Texas – No. 5 West Texas A&M moves to its best season start in 26 years after coming back to defeat Lubbock Christian on Saturday afternoon.  In spite of trailing at the half, the Buffs won 3-2 to move to 6-0-0 overall and 8-5-0 against LCU while the Chaps fell to 3-3-0 on the season.
 
In the first half, Lubbock Christian held the Buffs to just four shots while the Chaps recorded six with both teams landing two on frame. Sophomore Ben Siri looked to put the Buffs on the board in the 12^th-minute with his seventh shot on goal of the season but was denied by Chaps' keeper Braxton Throne to prevent early scoring.
 
LCU took the lead with Pablo Diez's first score of the season with Niklas Neaumann earning the assist. Ricardo Castillo's attempt to even the score in the 44^th-minute was cleared by Thorne to end the half 1-0 in favor of the Chaps. 
 
WT leveled the field in the 47^th-minute after Keaton Hartman was taken down in the box to lead to a penalty kick.  Giancarlo Saldana would take the Buffs first penalty of the season as the junior's shot bounced off the keeper's hands to make it 1-1.  
 
The Buffs took the lead in the 74^th-minute as LCU was called for a penalty and Saldana made no mistake firing the shot past Thorne for his ninth goal of the season.   Despite going down a man, LCU tied the score at two all with a score from Luca Hollenstein.  
 
In the 88^th-minute, WT took control of the match with the final score as Yotam Balbul got his head on Sean Ryan's corner for the freshman to net his first collegiate goal.  
 
WT recorded 15 shots to the Chaps 10, landing eight on goal led by Saldana with three and Hartman with two. Freshman keeper Tom Miles moved to 5-0-0 on the season with three saves.
 
The Buffs will return to The Pitch on Sept. 29 as they welcome Oklahoma Christian.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday against the Eagles.