WICHITA FALLS, Texas - - No. 3-ranked Midwestern State kicks off conference play with a match at Oklahoma Christian. Kickoff at Eagle Soccer Field in Oklahoma City is set for 7 p.m.
 

No. 3 MIDWESTERN STATE (6-0-2) vs. OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN (6-1-2)

Saturday, Sept. 24 | 3:30 p.m.
LCU Soccer Field | Lubbock, Texas

SERIES HISTORY | MSU leads, 19-1-1

LAST MEETING | Junior Mere Escobar struck twice in a span of 29 seconds to lift Midwestern State to a 2-0 win over then 17th-ranked Oklahoma Christian at Stang Park in a non-conference match on Sept. 21. The Eagles controlled 57-percent possession edge in the opening half and managed five shots placing three on goal. But Oklahoma Christian failed to take advantage of a few careless turnovers in the attacking third including a golden opportunity in the 40th minute when Diego Casero Comeche slid a shot just left of the far post. Escobar scored his second brace of the season and the fifth of his career as Midwestern State took control in the second half. Sophomore goalkeeper Adam Braman made three saves to register his fourth clean sheet while improving to 4-0-1.

LAST TIME OUT | Midwestern State controlled possession and kept the pressure on Lubbock Christian but ended up in a 0-0 draw at LCU Soccer Field on Sept. 24. The Mustangs created 16 shots and managed two shots on frame, while limiting the Chaps to two total shots. Lubbock Christian, who advanced to the LSC Postseason Tournament final last season, sat in allowing 11 corner kicks, but kept enough bodies in front of the goal to survive with the draw. Senior goalkeeper Marc-Antoine Huzen returned from a six-match absence due to injury. The native of Paris, France wasn't forced into making a save to earn his 14th career clean sheet. Senior Brandon Martinez-Trelles and junior Sulahmana Bah combined for nine of the Mustangs' 16 shots.

SCOUTING MIDWESTERN STATE | Midwestern State is 1-0-2 on the road this season…Mustangs last two road games were a 1-1 draw with West Texas A&M and 0-0 draw at Lubbock Christian…MSU is 7-1-0 all-time at Oklahoma Christian…Mustangs won their last visit, 2-1, on Oct. 2, 2021…Midwestern has won its last three encounters with the Eagles after suffering a 2-1 loss at Oklahoma City on March 6, 2021…MSU has outscored its opponents this season, 16-3, and the +13 goal differential is second in the LSC and 20th in the nation… Midwestern State is third in the conference with 16 goals… MSU has 15 assists, which is third in the LSC….Midwestern has a .375 team goals against average, which seventh in the nation and second in the conference… MSU boast a .750 shutout percentage which is No. 1 in the nation and tops in the LSC…Mustangs are outshooting the opposition, 99-72, through eight matches…51 of 99 shots have been on goal for MSU (.515)…21 of 72 shots by opponents have been on goal (.292)…Junior forward Mere Escobar leads the Mustangs with five goals, which is third in the conference and 48th in the nation… Escobar has put 13 of 20 shots on goal and is first in the LSC, eighth in the nation, in shot accuracy (.650)… Escobar is third in the conference with 1.62 shots on goal per game… Escobar is seventh in the LSC with 2.50 shots per game… Sophomore midfielder Rory Doyle has scored three goals, which is eighth in the LSC…Escobar is third in the conference with 12 points through eight matches…Doyle is fifth in the LSC with nine points… Junior forward Sulahmana Bah and Doyle are tied for third in the conference with three assists…Bah is 13th in the LSC with seven points…Sophomore goalkeeper Adam Braman leads the nation and is second in the conference with a .929 save percentage… Braman is eighth in the conference with 13 saves…Braman is second in the conference with four shutouts…

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN | Oklahoma Christian is 4-0-1 at home this season…Eagles last home game resulted in a 1-1 draw with West Texas A&M on Sept. 24…OC is outscoring its opponents, 22-9, and the +13 goal differential is second in the LSC and 20th in the nation …OC's 22 goals leads the LSC and is 26th in the nation…OC is first in the conference and 23rd in the nation with 2.44 goals per game…OC is outshooting opponents, 103-73…56 of 103 shots have been on goal (.544), and shot accuracy is second in the conference and 15th in the nation…Oklahoma Christian leads the conference with 18 assists and is 26th in the nation…62 total points leads the LSC and is 27th in the nation…Eagles are fourth in the conference with 6.22 shots per game…OC is 10th in the LSC with 1.78 saves per game…Senior goalkeeper Flynn Koerner is sixth in the LSC with 15 total saves…Koerner has two shutouts, which is fifth in the conference…OC is fourth in the conference with a 1.00 GAA as a team…Freshman midfielder Daniel Gutierrez has scored seven goals, which leads the LSC…Senior forward Alejandro Colom leads the conference with five assists this season…Gutierrez is No. 1 in the conference with 14 total points…Gutierrez leads the conference with 0.78 goals per game…Gutierrez has two game-winning goals, which is third in the LSC… Gutierrez has not scored in the last two games for Oklahoma Christian and has only taken one shot in that span… Senior midfielder Joep Classen has three goals for OC this season…Colom, Sophomore forward Isaias Silva, Freshman forward Louis Basset and Freshman midfielder Jacob Carter have all scored twice for the Eagles…Oklahoma Christian has been issued 27 yellow cards, which is the most in the LSC… Sophomore forward John Osadolor Ighede leads the Eagles with four yellow cards…

UP NEXT | Midwestern State is on the road for a clash with Eastern New Mexico at Greyhound Stadium in Portales. Kickoff is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.