WICHITA FALLS, Texas – No. 8-ranked Midwestern State is hosting the Lone Star Conference Men's Soccer Championship semifinal match with UT Tyler at Stang Park on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m.

The Mustangs are the No. 1 seed in the tournament after clinching the regular season title on the final day of the regular season with a 2-1 victory at St. Mary's, while UT Tyler defeated UT Dallas at Citizens 1st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex, 3-1.

Midwestern State (12-3-3, 8-2-0) finished two points ahead of UT Dallas to earn its seventh LSC regular season championship. The Mustangs have a four-game winning streak and have shut out three of their last four opponents. 

Shea Scally netted a goal early for the Rattlers, but Midwestern State stormed back in the second half. Italo Rodriguez struck for the equalizer in the 54th minute, assisted by Parker Plaxco, who scored the game-winning goal in the 70th minute at Sigma Beta Chi Field.

Midwestern State had posted a clean sheet in each of its previous six victories and shut out nine opponents during the regular season. MSU is outscoring its opponents through 18 matches this season, 35-15, which is the best goal differential in the LSC.

The Mustangs are the highest-scoring team in the conference with 1.9 goals per game, and boast the best goals-against average in the league at 0.83.

MSU is leading the league in total points (100), total goals (35), total assists (30), shots per game (15.3), points per game (5.6), corner kicks per game (6.9), and assists per game (1.7).

The Mustangs have the second-best save percentage at .779, and they are fourth in shot accuracy, putting 39.3 of their shots on frame.

Parker Plaxco is second in the conference with 11 goals and 26 points this season. Alan Rivera is second on the team with five goals and 12 points.

Cooper Tea and Liam Kervick have both scored four goals, and four players have two goals apiece for the Mustangs.

Plaxco, Ethan Krchnak, Liam Pritchard and Jaime Villagomez all have four assists this season.

Jake Morris leads the league with a goals-against average of 0.89, and he is 6-2-2 with five shutouts this season. Daniel Robles is 6-1-1 with four shutouts and a goals-against average of 0.76.

Midwestern State is 4-3-1 at home this season, including a 2-0 victory over UT Tyler on Oct. 8. MSU improved to 8-0-0 in the all-time series with the Patriots, who are 0-5-0 at Stang Park. Midwestern State has outscored UT Tyler in the eight previous meetings, 21-4.

UT Tyler (8-7-3, 4-4-2) is the No. 5 seed in the tournament and advanced to the semifinals with a 1-0 victory at Dallas Baptist in the quarterfinals.  The Patriots extended their winning streak to five matches, and improved their away record to 3-4-1. Tony Ngombi scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute. UT Tyler outshot DBU, 13-7, and DBU did not have a shot on goal.

UT Tyler is outscoring its opponents, 23-21, in 18 matches this season, and the Patriots are outshooting the opposition 12.1 – 10.6 per game. UT Tyler has put 89 of its 217 shots on goal this season (.410).

Luan Rangel is third in the LSC and leads the Patriots with seven goals and 16 points. Noe Coutino has four goals, and Oscar Sosa leads the team with four assists. 

Goalkeeper Niclas Becker is 7-6-2 with five shutouts and has a goals-against average of 1.02.

The winner meets either Lubbock Christian or St. Edward's for the LSC Men's Soccer Championship title. The highest remaining seed will host the match on Saturday.