DENVER – West Texas A&M men's soccer suffered its first loss of the season as MSU Denver defeated the Buffs 2-0 on Sunday. WT falls to 0-1-1 in the young campaign while the Roadrunners improved to 1-1-0 overall.
 
MSU Denver struck first in the match between regional opponents. The Roadrunners took possession on the Buffs' side of the field, sending the ball into the attacking third for Cooper Landry. Landry chipped a ball into the middle of the box where Brendan O'Toole ran in and finished the one-on-one opportunity before the WT defense could collapse.
 
After the goal, WT pressed the Roadrunner defense, advancing up the field. As the Buffs formulated an attack, Zakaria Daaou's centering pass went out of bounds off the foot of a MSU Denver defender. The deflection set up the Buffs first corner of the match where the ensuing cross found Dominic Murphy in the box. Murphy's header caught the Roadrunners by surprise but went wide. After Murphy's attempt, the Buffs' next chance at goal came in the 35^th minute when Matteo Landais raced through the MSU Denver back line. As Landais approached the penalty box, the senior ripped a shot, but a diving save from Roadrunner goalkeeper Nick McNeil stopped the attack.
 
A few minutes later, Daaou headed a counterattack for WT. With multiple Buffs in the box, Daaou centered the ball, slipping it through the defenders and across the face of goal. Before a WT player could put the ball in the back of the net, the Roadrunners cleared the ball away, slowing the pace. In the closing minutes of the first half, the Buffs controlled possession and momentum on the MSU Denver side of the field. Despite multiple scoring attempts, the clock ran out on the Buffs in the first half.
 
In the second half, Sol Bercu registered the first WT shot in the half as the junior slipped a shot into the arms of McNeil. The attempt allowed the Buffs to control momentum where Landais found space outside the box for a shot. Without a Roadrunner defender closing in, Landais froze the keeper but sent his shot over the bar. MSU Denver used WT's failed attempts turned the game for the Roadrunners. As the pressure mounted in the game, MSU Denver kept the Buffs' defense on their back heal, striking for multiple shots on frame. In the 76^th minute, the Roadrunners forced a penalty kick where Noah Hannula converted to double the lead.
 
Over the next 14 minutes, MSU Denver held the Buffs quiet on the offensive side of the field, stopping attacks before WT could find clean looks at goal. Before the Buffs could find the back of the net, the final whistle came and gave WT its first loss of the season.
 
The Buffs look for their first win of the season against rival Eastern New Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 12. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT at Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium in Portales, N.M.