Game Notes
 
CANYON, Texas – Playing its third game in six days, the West Texas A&M men's soccer team looks to continue its winning streak against the Grizzlies of Adams State. The Buffs (1-2-1 overall) and Grizzlies (0-3-0) kickoff at 1 p.m. on Sunday at The Pitch.    
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live stats and broadcast will be available for the season opener provided by the West Texas A&M athletic communications department with the game aired on the LSC Digital Network. For more information visit GoBuffsGo.com. 
 
All TIME SERIES
WT and Adams State have met one time in the history of Buffalo Soccer. The one and only meeting came on Sept. 14, 2014 in which WT hung five goals on the Grizzlies in Alamosa, Colo.    
 
SCOUTING ADAMS STATE
The Grizzlies come to The Pitch winless in three games this season. After opening the season with a 4-1 loss to Eastern New Mexico, Adams State dropped a pair of 1-0 contests to Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Panhandle State. Offensively, Emmanuel Kolleh has the team's only goal on an assist from Tyler Zimbounellis. In goal, Zach Carr and Charles Manthe have split time in goal with Manthe accounting for 180 of the Grizzlies' 270 minutes of play. The pair of goalkeepers have 10 saves and six goals allowed on 46 shots faced for a 2.00 goals-against average and .635 save percentage.
 
BUTCH LAUFFER
Butch Lauffer is in his 33rd season as head men's soccer coach at West Texas A&M University. As the longest tenured head coach in WT history, Lauffer has coached the men to 30 consecutive non-losing seasons and the women to 12-plus victories in 12 seasons. Lauffer has recorded a 371-166-51 (.674) record at the helm of the Buffs with a 560-233-68 (.690) overall record at WT.
 
LAST TIME OUT
After an hour delay, WT scored a go-ahead goal and hung on to win against Northwest Nazarene. The Buffs recorded their first win of the 2023 season on Thursday night and improved their record to 1-2-1 overall. With 17:50 on the clock before halftime, the game entered an intermittent lightning delay. The hour-long delay gave the Buffs time to regroup and formulate an attack before returning to the field. After a few minutes, Keaton Hartman dribbled the ball into the Nighthawks defense before sending a centering pass to Ben Siri. On his first touch, Siri hammered the ball into the back of the net to give the Buffs the lead.
 
LSC PRESEASON POLL
Reigning Lone Star Conference champion St. Mary's sat atop the rankings, collecting 22 of 30 first-place votes for 283 points, followed by Midwestern State (three fpv, 242 points). The Buffs followed just behind the Mustangs with three first-place votes and 237 points. Dallas Baptist collected 207 points with two first-place votes and Oklahoma Christian (192) finished out the top five teams.
 
Lubbock Christian (155) sat sixth in the poll followed by UT Tyler (114) and Texas A&M International (88). St. Edward's (75) and Eastern New Mexico (57) finish the preseason poll. 
 
A LOOK AHEAD
WT finishes its four-game home set with Lubbock Christian. The non-conference meeting is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at The Pitch.