LUBBOCK, Texas – The West Texas A&M men's soccer team went on the road to Lubbock Christian and left with a 5-0 statement victory. The Buffs (5-3-2, 2-0-0 LSC) have now handed the Chaps (4-2-4, 0-1-1 LSC) both of their losses on the season.
 
WT struck quickly as the Buffs netted the game's first goal 46 seconds into play. As WT pushed up the field, Lubbock Christian regained possession while the Buffs applied pressure. On a pass to the back line, a Chaps defender missed the ball, allowing Josh Beeson to control the ball. As LCU goalkeeper Tom Miles came off his line, Beeson put the ball in the back corner of the goal and gave the Buffs the lead. WT doubled its advantage in the 17^th minute after earning a corner kick. The kick went into the box, but the Chaps couldn't clear the danger completely as D'Jonte Davis gathered the ball at the edge of the 18-yard box. Davis stepped up and sent a rocket into the top corner of the goal to beat Miles.
 
Three minutes after Davis' goal, Dylan Watson went coast-to-coast down the field, taking on multiple Chaps along the way. As Watson maneuvered into the penalty box, the LCU defenders collapsed on him. As he was falling to the ground, Watson got off a shot and beat Miles to the near post. WT added to its lead once again in the 34^th minute when Matteo Landais and Chris Palomino took on three defenders on a counterattack. Landais sent a pass into space for Palomino who sent a shot into the top corner of the goal.  With six and a half minutes before halftime, the Buffs took advantage of another misplay by the LCU back line as Beck Adams controlled an errant pass inside the box. Adams dribbled around Miles and placed the ball into the back of the net for a 5-0 advantage.
 
After halftime, WT had an opportunity to net its sixth goal of the game as Gabriel Nevarez sent a cross to Palomino on the far side of the field. Palomino controlled the pass and dribbled into the box where new LCU goalkeeper Connor Pettigrew made a sliding save. The Chaps attempted to break up the shutout with 25 minutes to play as Hugo Stauton headed a crossing pass just over the crossbar. Content with the 5-0 lead, WT protected the shutout to take the Lone Star Conference win.
 
The Buffs return to The Pitch for a rematch with No. 16-ranked St. Mary's. Action with the Rattlers starts at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11.