WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Midwestern St. (14-3-3) secured the 2025 Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship with a 1-0 victory over (3) Lubbock Christian (8-8-4) on Saturday at Stang Park. The Mustangs now earn automatic qualification to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Tournament.
The first half commenced with Midwestern St. establishing a solid defensive presence as
Jake Morris made critical saves early on, notably stopping a shot from the Chaps' Manu Nunez in the first six minutes. Despite Lubbock Christian's attempts to gain the upper hand, the Mustangs seized momentum in the 33rd minute when
Liam Kervick scored, assisted by
Jarrod McKechnie, giving the home team a 1-0 lead. The half closed with the Maroon & Gold maintaining their advantage, holding LCU scoreless at halftime.
The second half began with MSU maintaining their defensive stance, while
Cooper Tea quickly attempted to extend the lead with a shot just past the 47th minute. Despite several attempts, including a close-range shot by
Parker Plaxco at the 57th minute, Lubbock Christian's goalkeeper, Connor Pettigrew, kept the visitors in the match with key saves.
As the half progressed, the Mustangs continued to apply pressure, with
Davis Mays and
Liam Pritchard both testing Pettigrew with their efforts. However, the score remained unchanged as neither team managed to find the net. The half closed with MSU holding their 1-0 lead, as the defense thwarted the Chaparrals' attempts to equalize, sealing the victory.
Morris recorded three saves to secure the shutout in goal. Kervick scored the lone goal of the match, which also served as the game-winner. McKechnie contributed with an assist, helping set up the decisive play. Plaxco led the team with four shots, two of which were on goal.
Goalkeeper Pettigrew played a critical role for the Chaps, recording four saves out of 14 shots faced, allowing just one goal during his 90 minutes on the field. Francisco Horta contributed offensively with one shot on goal, while Nunez added pressure with two shots, one of which was on target. Kade McKinzie also made a notable attempt, with his sole shot being on goal. Despite these efforts, LCU was unable to capitalize on their opportunities.
Midwestern State wins the LSC Tournament for the 5th straight season, and complete LSC sweep in 2025, winning the regular season title and conference tournament. After the match,
Jake Morris,
Cooper Tea,
Cristopher Guevara, Skyler Krchank, and
Liam Kervick were all recognized to the Lone Star Conference All-Tournament Team, with Morris being named the Most Valuable Player.
The Mustangs officially book their place in the NCAA DII Men's Soccer Tournament, with the full field set to be announced on Monday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. (CT) on NCAA.com.Â
