NAMPA, Idaho – Despite going into halftime scoreless, the West Texas A&M men's soccer team used four second-half goals to defeat Hawaii Pacific 4-0 on Saturday afternoon. The shutout win also improves the Buffs' record to 2-3-1 while the Sharks fall to 0-5 on the season.
 
Action lived in the midfield at the start of the game before Hawaii Pacific started to advance up the field. As the Sharks took the ball down the sideline, a crossing pass went into the middle of the box for Shota Fukunishi. Fujunishi flicked his header toward a wide-open back post, but the scoring chance went wide left. It wasn't until the 16^th minute before WT registered its first shot as a ball came through the defense for Sharif Mohammed. Mohammed sent a one-timer at goal from 25 yards out, but Hawaii Pacific goalkeeper Kevin Harr watched the ball go out of bounds. The Sharks came up with another great look on goal in the 33^rd minute as a free kick sent into the box for Sam Irsfeld. With a defender on his back, Irsfeld headed a ball towards the post but watched his shot go wide. Hawaii Pacific looked to have taken the lead with 12 minutes to play in the half, but the Sharks go-ahead goal was waved off for a handball. Before the half ended, a Hawaii Pacific foul set up a WT free kick. On the restart, the ball found Dominic Murphy who sent a shot to the back post. A diving save prevented the Buffs from taking the lead before the defense stood tall, forcing two misses out of the Buffs.
 
Five minutes into the second half, a foul from Hawaii Pacific gave WT a free kick on their own half of the field. After Theo Bennetts sent the ball up field, Dominic Murphy headed the ball into the box. A deflection gave D'Jonte Davis the ball with no one in front of him where the sophomore buried the ball in the back of the net. The Buffs would strike once again four minutes later as Davis took the ball down the sideline. Before Davis reached the end-line, the Buffs' forward centered the ball for an open Matteo Landais. Without hesitation, Landais powered a shot into the top corner of the goal, doubling the lead. In the 71^st minute, Murphy found a streaking Quintin Benn-John down the left side. Benn-John beat a defender inside the box before slipping a shot under the goalkeeper's arm for a 3-0 lead. Down to 10 men on the field, Hawaii Pacific looked to get on the board with 10 minutes remaining as Sebastian Navarro beat the Buffs' back line. With Bryce Cottle off his line, Navarro faced an open net but sent his shot over the bar. With eight minutes to play, Zakaria Daaou sent a crossing pass to the back post where Rotem Weiss flew in for a header. The goal pushed WT's lead to 4-0 and capped the scoring for the game.
 
The Buffs finish out non-conference play on Wednesday, Sept. 25 against longtime rival and No. 19-ranked Midwestern State. Action is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at Stang Park in Wichita Falls.