#1 Midwestern State (3-0-0) vs. Rogers State (2-2-0)
Thursday, Sept. 13 | 7 p.m.
Stang Park | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Watch: MSU Digital Network
Series History: MSU Texas leads 6-0-1 | Last Meeting: 1-1 tie on the road (Oct. 12, 2017)
Trend: Defeated preseason No. 3 Rockhurst, 2-0
Player to Watch: Sr., F, Jake Simpson – two-time All-Heartland Conference performer
 
#1 Midwestern State (3-0-0) vs. Newman (3-1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 15 | 7 p.m.
Stang Park | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Watch: MSU Digital Network
Series History: MSU Texas leads 12-1-0 | Last Meeting: 2-0 win on the road (Oct. 26, 2017)
Trend: Mustangs have shutout the Jets in each of the last four meetings
Player to Watch: Jr., MF, Ed Jabbari – Heartland Conference Player of the Week
 
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Top-ranked Midwestern State begins its quest for its third-straight Heartland Conference championship as the Mustangs open up league play at home. MSU Texas hosts Rogers State and Newman on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, at Stang Park at 7 p.m.
 
Storylines
Thrillers With the Hillcats
Last season, MSU Texas and RSU played a pair of overtime matches, with the Hillcats handing the Mustangs one of their three ties in 2017.
 
In the first meeting between the two teams, junior Sebastian Venegas found Scott Doney in the 95^th minute with a cross for Doney's second goal of the night in a 2-1 win by the Mustangs.
 
The second meeting in 2017 featured a double overtime affair in Claremore, Okla., resulting in a 1-1 draw. Sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Lampe made six saves including five in the second half and overtime.
 
Shutting Out the Jets
The Mustangs have kept Newman out of the scoring column in each of the last four meetings and have surrendered just two goals in 13 meetings, dating back to 1989.
 
Lampe made one save while junior Ross Fitzpatrick added a late goal in MSU Texas' second win over the Jets in 2017 that clinched the Mustangs' second-straight conference title.
 
Eyes on 27
The Mustangs matched the longest unbeaten streak in program history going 23-0-3 over their last 26 matches defeating No. 15 Fort Hays State 2-1 and Oklahoma Baptist 5-0 last week to move to 3-0 on the season.
 
The run dates back to a national quarterfinal loss at No. 10 UC-San Diego in 2016 and duplicates a 26-match run that covered the eight consecutive wins to close the 2001 campaign before the 2002 side opened the season going 14-0-4.
 
Home Cookin'
The Maroon and Gold are unbeaten in their last 16 matches at the friendly confines of Stang Park, dating back to 2016. Over that span, MSU Texas owns a 14-0-2 record and has outscored opponents 31-7 at home.
 
Top Target
The Mustangs are No. 1 for the seventh time in program history and for the first time since closing the 2017 regular season atop the rankings. The second regular season poll marks the earliest the Mustangs have carried the top ranking as an NCAA Division II member.
 
Midwestern appeared at the top of the poll for a single week during the 2015 season (Oct. 6) and for three weeks during the 2008 season (Oct. 21-Nov. 4). MSU first took the No. 1 spot back on Sept. 24, 1984 after opening the season 5-0-0 following a 9-2 win over TCU.
 
Back Line Defense
In three matches this season, the back line of the Mustangs has surrendered just 11 shots and five shots on goal in 270 minutes.
 
Seniors Nathan Clark and Alex Mullet, juniors Dylan Burke and Koby Sapon-Amoah along with sophomore keeper Taylor Lampe have started all three games and combine for 1158 of a possible 1350 minutes played.
 
Set Piece Magic
The Mustangs have had no trouble in getting into their set-pieces offensively this season. MSU Texas ranks third nationally with 9.67 corner kicks per game including 15 in the win over UT Tyler and 11 in the win against Oklahoma Baptist.
 
Lampe Saves the Day
Sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Lampe moved into the top-10 list in MSU Texas history with his 10^th-career clean sheet in the team's 5-0 win over Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday. The Mansfield product moves into a tie with Kevin Payne (1986-87) for the eighth-most shutouts in school history on his next clean sheet.
 
His career 0.38 goals against average ranks as the best in program history among keepers with at least 1000 minutes played and is 0.21 better than Shawn Carr's (2007-08) second-best 0.59 GAA.
 
With his next win, the sophomore ties Richard Goss (2017) for the 10^th-most wins by a keeper in men's soccer history.
 
Milestone Watch
Senior forward Patrick Fitzgerald ranks 12^th on MSU Texas' career list with six game winning goals. The Irishman moves into a seven-way tie for sixth with his next game-winner.
 
Up Next
MSU Texas continues its four-match homestand with St. Mary's on Thursday, Sept. 13.