Trinity University Men's Soccer will take on a pair of regional rivals at home this weekend.
The Tigers (2-0-2) exploded last weekend. While outscoring opponents 10-0, the Tigers only allowed a single shot on goal during the two matches. Senior midfielder
Mark Donnelly (Belfast, Ireland / St. Malachy's College Belfast) scored twice last weekend, notching a goal in each of the Tigers' victories, including the game-winner in a 4-0 win over Whitworth on Friday.
Will Powell (London, England / Beth Grammar School) bolstered a Tiger defense that allowed just seven shots last weekend, including just one on target in a pair of shutout victories. Powell also chipped in offensively with three assists in the Tigers 6-0 win over Berry on Sunday. Powell ranks sixth nationally in assists per game and third nationally in total assists.
Adam Knutson (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs) continued his streak of scoring a goal each game, he now ranks 23rd nationally in total points.
Preview - Home Sweet Home
The Tigers will start the weekend on Friday, September 13th at 8:00 PM against Cal Lutheran. After a day off, Trinity will play against Howard Payne on Sunday at 5:00 PM.
On the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen: With a 2-1-1 record, the Kingsmen have made a solid start to the season. Offensively, Cal Lu has been effective at moving the ball into the attacking half, but their shot selection has been poor. The Kingsmen are ranked among the bottom 15 teams in shot accuracy this season. Senior midfielder JP Melgoza leads the team with two goals. Defensively, Cal Lu has conceded a goal in every game so far, and the goalkeepers are saving only 63% of shots on target. The last time the Tigers and Kingsmen faced each other was in 2013, when Trinity defeated Cal Lu 2-0. Historically, Trinity is 2-0 against Cal Lu.
On the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets: The Jackets have had a challenging start to the season, posting a 0-2-2 record. They have drawn against Lyon and Centenary but lost to Schreiner and St. Thomas. Defensively, goalkeeper Juan Ugalde has kept Howard Payne competitive, ranking in the top 25 nationally for saves per game. However, the Howard Payne offense has struggled significantly. The Jackets rank in the bottom 20 for shots on goal per game and in the bottom 70 for scoring offense. Sophomore forward Ian Bryant and junior midfielder Anthony Herrera are the only Yellow Jackets to have scored goals this season. This will be the first time Trinity and Howard Payne face each other on the pitch.
Looking Ahead - On The Road
The Tigers will be on the road for the first time this season against Mary-Hardin Baylor on September 20th.
