CANYON, Texas – No. 8-ranked Midwestern State looks to remain unbeaten as it hits the road to face West Texas A&M. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at The Pitch.

Midwestern State moved into the top-10 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, joining second-ranked Dallas Baptist as the two top-ranked teams in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs have never been ranked higher in the history of the program. The 2010 team was ranked No. 10.

The Mustangs improved to 11-0-1 overall and 7-0-1 in conference play with their 2-0 win at St. Edward's on Sunday morning at Lewis-Chen Family Field. Lexi Gonzales scored her team-leading sixth goal of the year, and Ashlynn Knight headed in her third goal of the campaign in the first half. Lauren Short recorded her ninth clean sheet, and the Mustangs have 10 shutouts this season.

Short has the best save percentage in the LSC and the 11th best in NCAA Division II at .923. Short's goals-against average of 0.17 is fifth in the nation and second in the conference. 

Midwestern State is off to the best start in program history, and needs one clean sheet to tie the school record of 11 shutouts set in 2006. 

Midwestern State is outscoring its opponents 30-2 and boasts the third best goal differential in NCAA Division II at plus-28. Only Dallas Baptist is better in the LSC at plus-39. 

The Mustangs are second in the conference with 2.5 goals per game, which is 22nd in the nation. Fourteen different players have scored goals for MSU this season, and 14 players have recorded at least one assist for the Stangs.

Gonzales leads the team with 16 points (6 g, 4 a).  Sloane Sullivan and Madison Brinkley each have 11 points. Sullivan had two assists at St. Edward's and took over the team lead with five assists this season, and she has scored three goals for MSU. Brinkley, who scored her second game-winning goal of the season in the 80th minute against Oklahoma Christian, has four goals and three assists.

Binky Mendez and Bella Pillow have each scored two goals for the Stangs. Seven players have scored one, including Leeci Snyder, who has four assists this season. 

The Mustangs are averaging 2.6 assists per game and 7.6 points per game, which are both second in the LSC.

The Mustangs are outshooting opponents, 18-7, per game. Opponents have only managed 26 shots on goal. An opponent has not taken more than five shots on goal against MSU in the last 31 games.

WEST TEXAS A&M (3-5-3, 2-3-2)

Midwestern State, which is 4-0-1 on the road this season, won its last four meetings with the Lady Buffs, and shut out West Texas in each of the last two encounters. Last season, West Texas A&M was outshot 16-5 and did not get a single shot on frame on frame at Stang Park.

The Mustangs are 5-17-2 all-time when visiting WT but won their last visit, 1-0, as Lexi Beck converted a penalty kick in the 63rd minute.

The Lady Buffs are unbeaten in their last three games and are coming off a 3-0 win over Angelo State. Riley Sims scored three goals in a 14-minute span of the first half and now leads the Lady Buffs with four goals and eight points. Franciezca Blancaflor made four saves for her fourth shutout of the season.

Samantha Solorzano scored in the 90th minute off a rebound following a corner kick, and WT stunned St. Mary's 4-3 after the Rattlers had taken a 2-0 lead in the opening 11 minutes of the match.

The unbeaten streak started with a 0-0 draw at Sul Ross State, but the Lady Buffs led the game in shots (21-4), shots on goal (13-3), and corner kicks (5-1).

West Texas A&M has been outscored this season, 15-12, with six different Lady Buffs scoring goals. Braely Martinez has scored three goals, while Sienna Hurrell has found the back of the net twice this season. Kennedy Casello, Jade Martinez and Solorzano have each scored once for the Lady Buffs.

Hurrell and Sara Soto each have two assists, and Martinez has the only other assists of the season for the Lady Buffs, who are 2-3-0 at home this season. DBU shutout WT at The Pitch, 4-0, on Sept. 12, and No. 25-ranked Texas Woman's scored a 2-0 victory at West Texas A&M on Sept. 16. 

West Texas A&M has been shut out six times this season, most recently in a 0-0 draw at Sul Ross State on Sept. 26, but the Lady Buffs have erupted for seven goals in their last two games combined. 

UP NEXT

Midwestern State takes a trip to Alpine, Texas, on Saturday for a meeting with Sul Ross State. The Mustangs have outscored the Lobos in their two meetings, 11-0, winning at Alpine last season, 5-0.