LSC SOCCER
Lone Star Conference games dominate the men’s and women’s schedules this week. West Texas A&M holds a narrow lead on the women’s side with 24 points, with Incarnate Word (21) and Angelo State (19) just behind them. WT plays at both UIW and ASU this week as all three teams strive for the top spot.
The women have just two weeks of play remaining as teams compete for one of six spots in the LSC Championship to be hosted by the top seed November 1-2-4.
On the men’s side, UIW’s winning streak remains at nine games after an idle week and Midwestern State ran its unbeaten streak to six matches with a pair of wins.
LSC men’s soccer teams are 35-8-5 overall this season. The squads are currently 5-3-1 combined versus Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, and 9-2-1 against the Heartland Conference, which are the other conferences in the NCAA South Central Region.
The women’s teams are 49-60-8 overall this season. The squads are currently 2-9-1 combined versus Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, and 2-4 against the Heartland Conference, which are the other conferences in the NCAA South Central Region.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
CO-MEN’S OFFENSIVE
Lukas Garcia, West Texas A&M University, SR, Midfield, Odessa, Texas, Permian HS
Had a team-high two goals and one assist in a 4-2 win at Ouachita Baptist last week. He tallied six shots (.333) and four on goal (.667) in the win. It was his first two goals of the season and his second assist on the year. It was his first multi-goal match of his career. In the match he scored the first two goals for the Buffs and assisted on Dominic Furness’ game winner in the second half. His score at the 0:25 mark in the match was the quickest goal of the season and one of the fastest in school history as the Buffs have two goals within the first 90 seconds of matches this season.
Len Smith, Midwestern State University, SO, Forward, Frisco, Texas, Wakeland HS
Smith tallied goals in each match to lead 24th-ranked Midwestern State to positive results over Houston-Victoria and Ouachita Baptist. The sophomore from Frisco hustled to knock in a rebound goal in the fourth minute of Friday’s win over Houston-Victoria then finished on a Ben Clarvis assist in the 52nd minute Sunday at Ouachita Baptist. Smith has now tallied goals in each of his last five outings and has accounted for seven goals in his last seven games.
MEN’S DEFENSIVE
Carlos Ruiz, West Texas A&M University, SO, Bogata, Columbia, Universidad del Futbol
Had his first start of the season earning his first win in the Buffs’ 4-2 win at Ouachita Baptist on Friday. He had two saves in the match. He has played in three matches this season with one start and has 0.1 shutouts.
WOMEN’S OFFENSIVE
Julie Coppedge, Abilene Christian University, SR, Midfield, Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo HS
Coppedge struck the game-winner in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Incarnate Word. Coppedge scored the goal in the 86th minute from about 18-yards back after a deflected corner kick was played back to her. Coppedge’s goal was her team-leading fourth of the year and 14th of her career. Coppedge also helped defensively this weekend as the Wildcats outshot their opposition 34-19 and didn’t allow more than one corner kick.
WOMEN’S DEFENSIVE
Yvette Bedoy, West Texas A&M University, JR, Garland, Texas, South Garland HS
Tallied two shutouts in the Buffs’ two key road wins at Texas Woman’s and Texas A&M-Commerce last week helping WT regain sole possession of first place in the league standings with three matches remaining. She stopped seven shots recording her fourth and fifth shutouts of the season. She improved to 8-4-1 on the year in 13 matches and 1199:44 minutes of work for the year. She has a conference-best 80 saves and 165 for her career which is good for fourth-best in school history. Bedoy helped WT shutout a conference road weekend series for the first time since 2009.