CANYON, TEXAS – West Texas A&M Men's Soccer (2-5-0) open up Lone Star Conference (LSC) play this week as they travel to Texas A&M International on Wednesday, September 23 before hosting UT Tyler on Saturday, September 26. Both games are slated for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.   
 
Follow the Buffs
Live Stats will be provided by Texas A&M International on Wednesday and then by West Texas A&M on Saturday. Both games will be streamed live on Flo Sports (registration required). Tickets for Saturday's game can be purchased here.
 
Last Time Out
West Texas A&M closed out the non-conference portion of their schedule this past week as they traveled to Salem, Oregon to face Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin's.
 
Buffaloes Shutout in 1-0 Loss to Northwest Nazarene- September 17, 2026
The opening stretch of the game would be a physical defensive battle with no shots through the first 17 minutes and five fouls through 20 minutes. Northwest Nazarene would tally the first shots of the game in the 17th and 21st minute which would both be saved by keeper Bryce Cottle. WT would trail in possession as they were limited in creating offense. The Nighthawks would find the back of the net in the 33rd minute with a goal by Abdullahi Sharif as they took a 1-0 lead. NNU added one more shot on goal right before halftime, but it would be saved by Cottle in the top right corner in the 44th minute. The 1-0 deficit would solidify going into halftime as the Buffaloes did not record a shot or corner kick through 45 minutes.
 
Out of the break, the Buffs found early offense with two shots on goal and a corner kick through the first 10 minutes. Felix Casas and Ben Scotford produced the two shots, but both would be saved. After allowing four shots on goal in the first half, the defense of West Texas A&M stepped up and limited the Nighthawks to only one in the second half as the deficit stayed at one. The Buffs made an offensive push over the final 20 minutes to try and equalize the game. Casas and Edward Acosta each fired shots in the 71st and 74th minute but would be stopped on each of their chances. WT would accumulate one more shot and a corner kick in that span but were unable to tie the game as the score settled at 1-0 in favor of Northwest Nazarene.
 
Top Buffs

• Felix Casas landed both of his shots on goal in 77 minutes of action. This was his second game with 2+ shots on goal this season.
• Ben Scotford played 82 minutes and came away with a shot on goal. This was a season-high in minutes for Scotford and third straight game with a shot on goal.
• Bryce Cottle started in goal and registered four saves in all 90 minutes. Cottle has had 3+ saves in all three of his starts.

 
Buffs Fall 4-1 to Saint Martin's in Non-Conference Finale- September 19, 2026
WT would find themselves in an early deficit as Saint Martin's scored a goal in the 6th minute of the game. After defending against a corner kick which directly led to a shot by the Saints in the 16th minute, the Buffs would start to settle into the match. Momentum started to swing in favor of WT as Oumar Berete nearly tied the game in the 21st minute with a shot, but it would be saved. One minute later in the 22nd minute, Felix Casas equalized the game as he blasted a shot 10 yards out in the top right corner of the box which found the back of the net. SMU would halt that momentum as three minutes later they scored their second goal of the half as they retook the lead in the 26th minute. The defenses of both teams picked up from that point as three more shots and two corner kicks were combined the rest of the half. Each keeper would come away with a key save in the 38th and 39th minute as the score remained 2-1 going into halftime.
 
Out of the break, SMU would again score a goal six minutes into the half as Juan Diaz scored his second of the game in the 51st minute to give the Saints a 3-1 advantage. The Buffs would limited offensively in the second half as they did not record a shot until the 70th minute where Damron Atkins would have his shot blocked off a corner kick. Octavio Estrada-Vazquez would produce a pair of shots in the 81st and 82nd minutes, but both would be saved as time ticked away. SMU added a fourth goal off a penalty kick in the 83rd minute as the score finalized at 4-1.
 
Top Buffs

• Felix Casas scored the lone goal for WT which was his second of the year. Casas is up to six points which leads the team. He also tallied two shots which both landed on goal during his 76 minutes.
• Octavio Estrada-Vazquez played 62 minutes on defense and fired two shots on goal.
• Oumar Berete landed his shot on goal in his 60 minutes in the midfield.

 
The House of Felix
With his goal this past week, senior Felix Casas has tied or set new career marks in multiple offensive categories five games into the season. Casas has totaled two goals, two assists, six points, 12 shots, and seven shots on goal in his 304 minutes. All of those marks are new single season-highs for the Juarez, Mexico native except for the goals which tied his total from last season and the minutes, both of which he is also set to break.
 
Active Atkins
With two full 90-minute games this past week, freshman defender Damron Atkins extended his streak of consecutive 90-minute games to five. Atkins has started every game on defense and leads the team in minutes with 582.
 
West Texas A&M Statistical Leaders (Amount)

• Points- Felix Casas (6)
• Goals- Felix Casas (2)
• Assists- Felix Casas (2)
• Game-Winning Goals- Myles Taylor & Ben Scotford (1)
• Shots on Goal- Felix Casas (7)
• Shots- Felix Casas & Ben Scotford (12)
• Minutes by a Field Player- Damron Atkins (582)
• 90 Minute Games by a Field Player- Damron Atkins (5)
• Saves- Bryce Cottle (12)
• Save Percentage- Bryce Cottle (70.6%)
• Goals Allowed Average- Bryce Cottle (1.29)
• Goalkeeper Wins- Luke Southerington & Bryce Cottle (1)
• Shutouts- Luke Southerington & Bryce Cottle (1)

 
West Texas A&M Team Statistics (LSC Ranking)

• 11.57 shots per game (8^th) | 5.57 shots on goal per game (5^th)
• 2.57 points per game (10^th) | 0.85 goals per game (10^th) | 0.85 assists per game (8^th)
• 2.29 goals allowed per game (10^th) | 2.43 saves per game (9^th)
• 11.0 fouls per game (7^th) | 4.57 corner kicks per game (8^th)

 
(all stats accumulated 9/21/26)
 
Series History
Wednesday's game against Texas A&M International with the 23rd all-time meeting between the Buffaloes and the Dustdevils with WT leading the series 10-7-5. The teams have tied three of the past four matches including their meeting in Canyon last year.
 
Buffs Battle to a Scoreless Draw with Texas A&M International- October 1, 2025
The match began with WT taking the initiative in the first half. Desire Essis and Sharif Mohammed each attempted early shots, with Essis's effort at 18:51 saved by TAMIU's Emmanuel Esquivel. International responded with a corner kick in the 9th minute, but it was the Buffs that maintained pressure, earning multiple corner kicks throughout the half. The period concluded scoreless, with WT's Bryce Cottle and Esquivel both making key saves to keep the game level at 0-0.
 
The second half commenced with the Dustdevils taking early control, as Tiziano Klamler's shot in the 48th minute was saved by Cottle. Despite multiple attempts, including a shot by Abner Trevino that went wide at 50:26, TAMIU could not find the back of the net. Ben Scotford posed a threat with a shot in the 54th minute, but it was saved by Esquivel. The match remained scoreless as both teams' defenses held firm, with Cottle denying several shots from TAMIU, including two more from Klamler. As the clock ran out, the game ended in a 0-0 draw, with no breakthrough from either side despite numerous opportunities.
 
Cottle recorded a shutout with five saves over 90 minutes. Scotford led the team in shots with three, including two on goal. D'Jonte Davis managed one shot on goal during his time on the field. Essis contributed with two shots, one of which was on target.
 
Saturday's game against UT Tyler will be game nine between the two programs with WT holding an unbeaten mark of 5-0-3. The Buffaloes came out victorious in last year's match in Tyler, Texas.
 
Davis Lifts the Buffs Past UT Tyler in LSC Road Action, 2-1- October 4, 2025
WT and UT Tyler played a scoreless first half, with both teams generating multiple scoring opportunities. Desire Essis and D'Jonte Davis had early attempts that went wide, while UT Tyler's Angel Benitez also missed a shot high. A pivotal moment came in the 37th minute when UT Tyler's Oscar Sosa missed a penalty kick, saved by Bryce Cottle. The half ended with several shots from Connor Duggan and Sharif Mohammed, including a Duggan shot that hit the top woodwork, but neither team managed to break the deadlock.
 
UT Tyler struck first in the second half when Henrique Caputo scored in the 54th minute, assisted by Jaxson Stovall. The Buffs responded quickly, equalizing in the 69th minute with a penalty kick goal from Ben Scotford. The visiting team then seized the lead in the 84th minute on a goal by Davis. The Buffs secured a 2-1 victory despite UT Tyler's persistent attacks, including multiple shots on goal saved by Cottle.
 
Davis scored the game-winning goal, securing the victory for the Buffs. Scotford added a goal and led the team with two shots, both on target. Goalkeeper Cottle recorded four saves, maintaining a strong defensive performance.
 
Scouting Texas A&M International
The Texas A&M International University Dustdevils will also open up LSC play on Wednesday as they come into this match with a 3-2-1 record. TAMIU has beaten Sul Ross State (1-0), West Alabama (2-0), and Cal State Dominguez Hills (3-2). The Dustdevils have already played three LSC foes in non-conference showings and sit at 1-1-1 with a tie against St. Edward's (1-1) and a loss to UT Dallas (3-2) along with their win over Sul Ross State. TAMIU is coming off a 2025 season where they went 3-9-5 with a 1-8-1 mark in the LSC as they finished last in the standings. Coming into this season, Texas A&M International was projected to finish last in the LSC Preseason Poll.
 
The offseason saw the Dustdevils lose their lone All-Conference honoree in Kai Louviere who made Second Team All-LSC as well as the All-Freshman Team. Louviere scored a team-high five goals and was second in scoring with 10 points. TAMIU also lost notable players in Tizino Klamler, Jonathan Cervantes, Chris Fuentes, and Joannis Koupepdies. Klamler led the team in points with 13 from four goals and five assists along with a team-best 33 shots. Cervantes totaled seven points from one goal and five assists. Fuentes scored three goals for six points. Koupepides started 11 games in goal and tallied a 2.00 goals allowed average with 41 saves on a 65.1 percentage.
 
Returning for the Dustdevils will be defenders Jorge Delgado and Heiko Drömer. Delgado led the team in minutes with 1466 while Drömer logged 1436. Drömer would also score two goals for four points
 
Through six games, Jaime Martinez has paced Texas A&M International in scoring with six points from three goals. Aidan Williams has scored twice for four points and leads the team in shots and shots on goal. Drömer is the final Dustdevil with multiple points having tallied a goal and assist. Nicklas Berg-Ericksen has played every minute in goal and produced a 1.67 goals allowed average with 33 saves on a 76.7 percentage.
 
Head Coach Claudio Arias enters his 22nd season with Texas A&M International in 2026.
 
Texas A&M International Statistical Leaders (Amount)

• Points- Jaie Martinez (6)
• Goals- Jaime Martinez (3)
• Assists- Michael Ochoche (2)
• Game-Winning Goals- Heiko Drömer, Aidan Williams, & Kamal Zulfiye (1)
• Shots on Goal- Aidan Williams (8)
• Shots- Aidan Williams (13)
• Minutes by a Field Player- Jorge Delgado (540)
• 90 Minute Games by a Field Player- Jorge Delgado (6)
• Saves- Nicklas Berg-Eriksen (33)
• Save Percentage- Nicklas Berg-Eriksen (76.7%)
• Goals Allowed Average- Nicklas Berg-Eriksen (1.67)
• Goalkeeper Wins- Nicklas Berg-Eriksen (3)
• Shutouts- Nicklas Berg-Eriksen (2)

 
Texas A&M International Team Statistics (LSC Ranking)

• 8.83 shots per game (10^th) | 4.67 shots on goal per game (8^th)
• 4.17 points per game (6^th) | 1.50 goals per game (7^th) | 1.16 assists per game (6^th)
• 1.67 goals allowed per game (9^th) | 5.50 saves per game (3^rd)
• 14.17 fouls per game (11^th) | 4.0 corner kicks per game (9^th)

 
Scouting UT Tyler
The University of Texas at Tyler Patriots come into this game holding a 2-1-3 record. They have beaten DBU (1-0) in a non-conference game along with Colorado School of Mines (3-0). The Patriots are coming off a 2025 season where they went 8-8-3 with a 4-4-2 mark in the LSC as they finished sixth in the standings. They would beat DBU in the quarterfinals of the LSC Tournament before falling to the eventual LSC Tournament and National Champion Midwestern State. UTT came into this season projected to finish fifth in the LSC Preseason Poll.
 
The offseason saw the Patriots lose their lone All-Conference honoree in Luan Rangel who was a Second All-LSC selection last year. Rangel led UTT in scoring with 16 points on seven goals and two assists along with shots (36) and shots on goal (18). The Patriots also lost Jason Verhoogen, Tony Ngombi, Jaxson Stovall, and Oscar Sosa. Verhoogen and Ngombi tallied eight (three goals, two assists) and seven (two goals, three assists) points respectively. Stovall led the team in minute with 1603 on defense while Sosa tallied 1310 along with six points from a goal and four assists.
 
Notable returners for UT Tyler will be Noe Coutiño and Niclas Becker. Coutiño finished second on the team in scoring with 10 points stemming from four goals and two assists. He was also second in shots and shots on goal with 21 and nine. Becker started 16 games in goal and compiled a 1.08 goals allowed average with 47 saves on a 73.4 percentage. He tallied a 7-7-2 record with five shutouts.
 
Through six games, Coutiño has four points from two goals to lead the team. Jaime Casado has recorded three points from a goal and assist. Six other Patriots have scored a goal this year with 12 total recording a point. Beaux Benson has started four of the six games in goal and made 18 saves on a 69.2 percentage with a 2.00 goals allowed average.
 
Head Coach Kenny Jones enters his 25th season at the helm of UT Tyler in 2026. He has notched a 250-139-70 record during his tenure.
 
UT Tyler Statistical Leaders (Amount)

• Points- Noe Coutiño (4)
• Goals- Noe Coutiño (2)
• Assists- Jaime Casado, Theo Alvez, Yanis Larsi, Luis Martinez, & Carson Stiglets (1)
• Game-Winning Goals- Ladon Neely & Dennis Nyame (1)
• Shots on Goal- Jaime Casado (4)
• Shots- Dennis Nyame (12)
• Minutes by a Field Player- Yusef Abdelrahman (522)
• 90 Minute Games by a Field Player- Yusef Abdelrahman (4)
• Saves- Beaux Benson (18)
• Save Percentage- Niclas Becker (71.4%)
• Goals Allowed Average- Niclas Becker (1.00)
• Goalkeeper Wins- Beaux Benson & Nicas Becker (1)
• Shutouts- Beaux Benson & Niclas Becker (1)

 
UT Tyler Team Statistics (LSC Ranking)

• 11.50 shots per game (9^th) | 4.17 shots on goal per game (10^th)
• 3.83 points per game (7^th) | 1.50 goals per game (6^th) | .83 assists per game (9^th)
• 1.67 goals allowed per game (7^th) | 4.0 saves per game (4^th)
• 9.0 fouls per game (3^rd) | 5.83 corner kicks per game (4^th)

 
UT Tyler will take on DBU in their conference opener on Wednesday before facing the Buffs on Saturday.
 
For all the latest on West Texas A&M Men's Soccer, stay tuned to gobuffsgo.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.