Midwestern State at West Texas A&M
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013 | 8 p.m.
The Pitch at Canyon | Canyon, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-3); West Texas A&M (7-1)
Live Video: GoBuffsGo.com   
Live Stats: GoBuffsGo.com   
 
SCOUTING THE BUFFS
No. 12 West Texas A&M (7-1) recovered from its lone loss of the season taking a 1-0 result over St. Mary's (Texas) before pasting Texas-Permian Basin 8-0 Tuesday at home. The Buffs are a sterling 6-0 on its home pitch this season, but will close the season playing five of their last seven matches on the road following Saturday night's showdown with rival MSU. Senior forward Chase Withrow leads a potent WT attack with six goals and two assists while sophomore midfielder George Beasley adds four goals to go along with a pair of assists. Junior midfielder Conrod Goulbourne has tallied three goals and four assists while senior midfielder Carl Prestidge, sophomore forward Jon Williams and freshman forward Reese Barden have two goals each. Sophomore goalkeeper Garrett Cooper has permitted just three goals in eight starts this season for a 0.40 goals against average with a .875 save percentage and four clean sheets. The Buffs average 3.12 goals per game and allow 0.38.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State meets West Texas A&M for the 46th time on the pitch Saturday night in Canyon. The Mustangs hold a 25-17-3 advantage in the series that dates back to 1975 and are 10-9-2 against WT all time in Canyon. MSU has claimed wins in four of the last six meetings, but the programs split matches in each of the last two seasons with the home team claiming the result.
 
ABOUT THE FIRST UNITED BANK HIGHWAY 287 CHALLENGE CUP
Midwestern State and West Texas A&M tipped off an institutional competition between the two rivals earlier this fall. Each victory in the regular season and championships for the sports of volleyball, football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball and softball contribute to the point total as well as the LSC Championship events for cross country and men's and women's golf. WT claimed the first Challenge Cup event claiming volleyball victory last month.
 

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Midwestern State at Eastern New Mexico
Monday, Oct. 7, 2013 | 4 p.m.
ENMU Soccer Field | Portales, N.M.
Records: Midwestern State (4-3); Eastern New Mexico (7-3-1)
Live Video: None
Live Stats:  GoEasternAthletics.com    
 
SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS
Eastern New Mexico (7-3-1) rides a five-match winning streak into Monday afternoon's match against the Mustangs. The Greyhounds have not lost since dropping three of the first five matches of the season taking defeats to Wayland Baptist, Fort Hays State and Colorado State-Pueblo. Senior midfielder Kal Herbert leads the ENMU attack with six goals as 11 different players have found the back of the net for the Greyhounds. Senior midfielder Andy Wilkinson tallied four goals in just seven matches while senior forward Eishu Kanemitsu and freshman midfielder Jose Hernandez account for three goals each. Freshman goalkeeper Severin Niessen has yielded 17 tallies in 11 matches for a 1.55 goals against average with a .707 save percentage and two shutouts while playing every minute between the posts for the 'Hounds. ENMU averages 2.18 goals per game and allows 1.55.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State meets Eastern New Mexico for the 20th time on the soccer pitch Monday afternoon in Portales. The Mustangs hold a commanding 17-1-1 edge in the series that dates back to 2004. MSU claimed the first 15 meetings of the series before suffering a 2-1 loss to the Greyhounds in 2011. The teams then played to a 1-1 draw last season in Portales.
 

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ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State has rolled off three consecutive wins to climb to the positive side of the ledger at 4-3. The Mustangs have rolled off three consecutive clean sheets after allowing seven goals in the first four matches of the campaign. Interestingly, MSU is a perfect 2-0 in true road contests this season claiming road wins at Colorado State-Pueblo and Texas A&M International.
 
MIDWESTERN IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Junior forward Len Smith ranks 35th in total goals (5.0), 46th in goals per game (0.71), 55th in total points (11.0) and 57th in points per game (1.57). Junior Chase Robertson rates 19th in total assists (4.0) and 32nd in assists per game (0.57).  Junior goalkeeper Nathan Kenyon is 130th in goals against average (1.693.).
 
ELDER CLOSING IN ON 200
Midwestern State coach Doug Elder claimed his 198th career victory Sunday as the Mustangs battled to a 1-0 win over Texas A&M International in Laredo. In his 14 seasons at the helm at MSU, Elder rates amongst the winningest coaches in the history collegiate soccer amassing a 198-46-24 mark good for a .784 winning percentage. Elder is set to join the legendary Howard Patterson in the exclusive 200-win Club. Patterson rolled up 221 victories as Midwestern's head coach from 1973-89.
 
SMITH ON A ROLL
MSU junior forward Len Smith tallied a goal in his fourth straight match Sunday leading the Mustangs to a 1-0 win at Texas A&M International. The Baton Rouge, La. native started the goal scoring binge with a tally against St. Edward's on Sep. 20 before pounding the net twice in a 2-0 win over Rogers State and notching a goal in a 6-0 win over Newman. Smith has accounted for the game winner in each of Midwestern's last three contests. The spry striker has accounted for 15 goals and three assists since transferring in from Tulsa prior to last fall.
 
CAN I ASSIST YOU?
Junior Chase Robertson leads the team with four assists including a helper in three straight matches from Sep. 20-27. The Midlothian, Texas native also struck for his lone goal of the season in a 4-1 win at Colorado State-Pueblo on Sep. 13. All told, Robertson has accounted for six points on a goal and four assists this season.
 
PETOLICK SETTLES IT DOWN
Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Petolick is off to a flying start since taking over primary goalkeeper duties three matches ago against Rogers State. The transfer from Oral Roberts has stopped each of the seven shots he has faced and not allowed a goal in his first 270 minutes between the posts for the Mustangs.