RICHARDSON, Texas – After an impressive 5-0 win over Cal State East Bay in its season opener, No. 1-ranked Midwestern State returns to UTD Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon to face Colorado Mesa. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Jose Ortiz scored four goals in his Midwestern State debut, tying the program record for goals and points in a single game. The transfer from SMU played just 28 minutes and put all seven of his shots on goal in the win over Cal State East Bay. 

Liam Kervick scored the eighth goal of his career while Tanner Tea, Davis Mays, Eduardo Cerna and Cooper Tea recorded assists in the season-opening victory. Midwestern State peppered the Pioneers with 29 shots, including 13 on goal.

Junior goalkeeper Jake Morris made three saves on Thursday and recorded the 12th shutout of his career at MSU.

Midwestern State has a 12-game winning streak dating back to last season.

The Mustangs are 7-1-2 all-time against Colorado Mesa, which scored in the 58th minute at home last year to earn a 1-1 draw with MSU in the season opener. Davis Mays scored a goal in the seventh minute for the Mustangs, who outshot Colorado Mesa, 13-10.

Midwestern State won the two previous encounters at neutral sites, posting a 1-0 victory in Salt Lake City three years ago. The Stangs conceded an early goal in Laredo four years ago but defeated the Mavericks, 3-2.

Colorado Mesa tangled with UT Dallas on Thursday night and took a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute. Daniel Ehler played a ball into the box, and Kamden Kooimen was able to direct it toward Richie Tabares-Ochoa — a transfer from Gand Canyon — for the first goal of the game. The Mavericks conceded the equalizer in the 85th minute and settled for a 1-1 draw with the Comets.

Colorado Mesa head coach Jon Fridal is starting his seventh year at the helm and has complied an overall record of 54-33-15 including a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and a share of the 2020-21 RMAC Regular Season crown. The Mavs were projected to finish seventh in this year's RMAC preseason coaches' poll.

Michael Meachum is starting his ninth season as the head coach at Midwestern State and boasts a career record of 123-25-15 after leading the team to a national championship and a 19-3-3 record last season.

Midwestern State has a 10-game winning streak in neutral site games and is unbeaten in its last 21 matches on neutral ground. In 2022, MSU and Dallas Baptist played a 2-2-draw in the LSC Semifinals at Sigma Beta Chi Field in San Antonio, and the Mustangs advanced 3-1 on PKs. 

The last loss in a neutral site game came against Colorado Mines in 2013 at Lewis-Chen Family Field in Austin, Texas, where the Orediggers prevailed 1-0.

Midwestern State travels to Colorado for two road games at UCCS and MSU Denver next week before playing its home opener against Southern Nazarene at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10.