SEATTLE – The No. 17 West Texas A&M men's soccer team used a pair of goals in the second half to defeat the Seattle Pacific Falcons for its first win of the season. The Buffs improve to 1-0-2 on the season while the Falcons fell to 0-1-2.
 
Action between WT and Seattle Pacific started quickly as the Buffs registered the first shot at the six-minute mark. The Buffs held off the Falcon attack as Seattle Pacific registered its first shot on goal in the 13^th minute on a penalty kick. After the penalty kick, the Falcons held a 1-0 lead. Seattle Pacific looked to head into halftime with a lead until Anthony Perea scored on a penalty kick of his own to tie the game in the 40^th minute. Despite being tied, the Buffs held a 15-4 advantage in shots.
 
In the second half, the two teams continued to trade offensive chances but neither team could muster a lead. With just under 30 minutes to play, Payne McKiver played Giancarlo Saldana into the box. On a strong right-footed strike, Saldana placed the ball in the top left corner of the goal to give the Buffs their first lead of the night. WT extended its lead a few minutes later on Denis Herrera's free kick. Herrera, taking the kick from a sharp angle outside the box, sent the ball over the Falcons' wall, pushing the lead to two goals.
 
Seattle Pacific attempted to mount a comeback in the closing minutes. Aided by a WT foul in the box, the Falcons cut the lead in half on their second penalty kick goal of the night. As the pressure mounted, Alfonso Aragon made his final save of the night with a minute and a half remaining.
 
The Buffs finished the night with 22 shots, eight of which came on frame, while the Falcons fired five of their 12 shots on goal.
 
The Buffs return to the Pacific Northwest for a pair of games in Nampa, Idaho. WT faces Chaminade at 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Sports Center on the campus of Northwest Nazarene.