WICHITA FALLS, Texas – In a crucial Lone Star Conference game, the West Texas A&M men's soccer team defeated the Midwestern State Mustangs 1-0 in Wichita Falls on Saturday. The Buffs end the regular season with a 4-3-8 overall record and 4-1-4 mark in LSC action.
 
WT applied pressure early to the Midwestern State defense but couldn't convert the chances into shots. The Buffs' attack paid off as Ben Siri chipped a ball into the box for Anthony Perea. Perea crossed the ball into the center of the box where Kenny Brown deflected the ball to Rotem Weiss. On his first touch, Weiss ripped a shot into the bottom corner of the goal to give WT a 1-0 lead in the 10^th minute.
 
The Mustangs had an opportunity to tie the game in the 32^nd minute off the head of Eduardo St. Cerna. On the header going to the back post, Asaf Kristal made a diving save and allowed the WT defense to clear the threat. The Buffs' defense locked down the Midwestern State attack for the remainder of the half, holding the Mustangs off the scoreboard.
 
Coming out of the break, both teams adjusted over halftime leading to a quiet opening minutes. Midwestern State found the first scoring chance of the half but watched Kristal make the save. WT responded with a shot on goal of its own a few minutes later when Giancarlo Saldana forced Mustang goalkeeper Adam Braman to make a save in the top corner of the goal. Midwestern State came within inches of tying the game in the 62^nd minute when Kristal made an initial save on Mere Escobar's free kick, but the follow-up attempt by the Mustangs went over the bar.
 
Approaching 20 minutes remaining in the game, Denis Herrera sent a ball into the box for Kenny Brown. Brown, attempting a bicycle kick, got his foot on it but Braman blocked the ball down for the Midwestern State defense to clear. The Mustangs marched down the field and looked to have tied the game, but the goal was waved off on an offside call. Midwestern State saw another game-tying chance go wide in the 83^rd minute after a shot by Jack St. Larkin
 
WT earned a spot in the Lone Star Conference tournament and await their seeding following the final day of conference play. The tournament starts Tuesday, November 1 with the semifinals on Nov. 4 and championship on Nov. 6