PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico men's soccer team will wrap-up its 2019 regular season this weekend when they travel to UT Permian Basin on Thursday before facing Lubbock Christian on Saturday in its Senior Day Game.
 
LAST WEEK
 
The Hounds experienced mixed results last week after dropping a close match to Oklahoma
Christian 3-2 before handing No. 13 Midwestern State a 2-1 loss. Eastern defeated MSU for just
the second time in program history in 26 matches played between the two squads.
 
The Greyhounds battled hard and looked to be in control for the majority of the match before falling to Oklahoma Christian 3-2, Thursday night. The Hounds came out strong and netted the first two goals of the game before an own goal led to three unanswered scores from the visiting Eagles. Sophomore Joe Conway broke up the tie ball game in the 8:50 mark, following a shot from junior Lucas Vaz that the Eagles defense failed to clear. Vaz's shot ricochetted off the Eagle's keeper and bounced around the feet of the defenders before Conway corralled the loose ball and sent his shot into the back of the net. The Hounds used perfect passing and unselfish play to create their second goal just five minutes into the second half. Senior Robbie Leonard dribbled the ball down the left sideline before sending a deep cross into the box. Senior Julian Trapp headed the well-placed cross to the feet of junior Charlie Hackshall who one-timed it and buried the ball in the bottom left corner.
 
Midwestern State got on the board first and took a one goal advantage into halftime but two second half goals from junior Gabriel Peres and senior Julian Trapp were good enough to knock off the nationally ranked Mustangs. At the 50:35 mark, the Hounds easily moved the ball down the left sideline before getting the ball to Peres in the box. The Rio de Janeiro native tried to cross the ball to his attacking teammates but the ball bounced off the back of the Mustangs keeper and dribbled into the back of the net, to tie the game at 1-1. With time running down the Hounds were awarded a throw in deep in MSU territory with less than three minutes remaining in regulation. Freshman Emil Powles took the throw and sent the ball into the box, bouncing over two Mustang defenders before Trapp was able to head the ball over the keeper and net the game-winner. Trapp has tallied six goals on the year and is tied for the eighth-most in the LSC.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS

The Falcons were unable to score a goal last week and dropped back-to-back matches to St. Mary's and Texas A&M International as UTPB was out-scored six goals to none.

UTPB continues to struggle in both phases of the game as they own the worst scoring margin in the Lone Star at -1.31. The Falcons have managed 19 goals and have surrendered 40 while they also hold the lowest shots per game average in the league, tallying 10.56 a game.

Freshman midfielder Salavador Vargas Ramos heads the offensive attack for the Falcons as he leads the squad in most offensive categories despite playing in just 11 games. The Incline Village, Nev. native has totaled four goals for eight points 20 shots and 12 shots on goal. Also contributing offensively is freshman forward John Karlesen. The Kristiansund, Norway native is second on the team with six points on two assists and two goals with both of his scores serving as game-winners.

Senior defender Alex Clark anchors the Falcons defense as he leads all UTPB backline players with 904 minutes.
Freshman goalkeeper Aragon Alfonso mans the net for the Falcons and ranks second in the LSC with 78 saves while posting the third-worst goals against average, allowing 2.04 scores per contest.

The Falcons are led by Head Coach Dennis Peterson who has been with the program since 2000 and has overseen the program's transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. Peterson finished with a program best nine wins in 2017.

SCOUTING THE CHAPARRALS

The Chaparrals enter the week after being blown out 6-1 against Texas A&M International before battling the No. 5 team in the country St. Mary's to a 1-1 draw.

Lubbock Christian has posted a .13 scoring margin through the first nine weeks of the season scoring 29 goals while relinquishing 27. The Chaps average the fourth-most points per game in the LSC with 5.27 per game.

The Chaparrals field one of the most potent goal scorers in the league as sophomore forward Fernando Flores leads all Lone Star competitors with nine goals and four game-winners. Flores has posted the third-most points with 21 and his 39 total shots rank fourth. Flores' linemate, sophomore forward Tariq Bakkali also poses as a capable goal scorer as he ranks second on the team with 12 points on five goals and a pair of assists.

Defensively, LCU will look to junior defender Jonathan Woods. Woods anchors the Chaparrals backline and has logged a team-high 1,437 minutes while also tallying an assist and three shots.

Sophomore goalkeeper has started all 15 game for Lubbock Christian this season and has totaled 49 saves on 167 shots faced while posting a 1.69 goals against average and a .645 save percentage.

Head Coach Paul Gilbert enters his fourth season at the helm of the LCU men's soccer program as the squad battles for an LSC tournament berth. The 2018 season saw the Chaps take a step in the right direction, winning nine games for the first time since 2014 with a 9-7-2 overall record.
 
2019 Story Lines
 
The Green and Silver began the year with the best start in program history and rattled off a record-setting six consecutive victories to begin the 2019 campaign. With their 10th win coming last week over Midwestern, the Hounds are now tied for the second-most wins in a single-season and can break that record if they win their final two games.
 
With just two games remaining in the regular season, the 2019 Hounds have established themselves as one of the best in the 16-year history of the program. They are currently one shutout shy of owning the ENMU single-season record while the Hounds are on pace to move into the top ten in eleven different statistical categories. The 2019 squad owns the fourth-highest single-season save percentage (.760) while posting the fifth-lowest goals against average (1.41). They rank fourth in shots on goal per game (6.56) and sixth in goals per game (1.88), points per game (5.25) and assists per game (1.50) and their 11.80 shots per game rank ninth all-time. The have also totaled the sixth-most goals (30), the seventh-most points (84) and shots on goal (105) while they rank ninth with 24 assists in the ENMU single-season record book.
 
Conference Leaders
 
The Greyhounds boast one of the best squads in the conference, and rank in the top five of most major statistical categories across the LSC. Offensively, the Hounds rank fourth in points (84), goals (30) and assists (24). On the defensive side of the ball ENMU owns the second-highest save percentage at .765 and ranks third in total saves (78) and shutouts (five).
 
Eastern also fields some of the best individual players in the Lone Star including juniors Charlie Hackshall and Ross Dalton. Hackshall has totaled the second-most assists in the league with six and is tied for 30th amongst all Division II men's soccer players with .46 assists per game. Dalton leads the conference with a .795 save percentage and has tallied the third-most saves (70) and fourth-lowest goals against average (1.22) while posting five complete game shutouts. Dalton's nine wins are tied for the most by any Greyhound keeper in a single season and are the most since Severin Niessen's nine-win season in 2013.
 
Score First, Ask Questions Last
 
With 18 total victories under Head Coach Fridal's belt all but one have come when the Hounds score the match's first points, posting a 17-5-1 overall record in that scenario. The Hounds have also compiled an impressive 16-3-1 record when netting more than two goals in a match under the tutelage of Fridal.
 
SO LONG FOLKS
 
With Saturday's game against Lubbock Christian being the last game of the 2019 regular season nine ENMU seniors will take the pitch inside Greyhound Stadium for the final time in their collegiate career. Craig Brand, Robbie Leonard, Jesus Morinigo, Andres Riquelme, Julian Trapp, Alcides Duarte, Raith Houle, Oliver Hunt and Fernando Lozano will all lace up their cleats one final time as they finish their Greyhound careers.
 
Hounds at Home
 
The Green and Silver have posted a 4-3-0 record this season inside Greyhound Stadium. The Hounds have recorded victories over Fort Hays State, UT Permian Basin and rival West Texas A&M before handing Midwestern a 2-1 loss last week.
 
Hounds On the Road

The Hounds are 4-2-1 this season when packing their bags and began their season with a 2-0 shutout win over previously ranked No. 17 Colorado Mesa in hostile territory. Eastern has also earned wins on the road against Dixie State, University of Mary and Dallas Baptist.