The newly ranked No. 6 Trinity men's soccer team hits the road on Friday for its first away match against the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs, before returning home on Sunday for a highly anticipated clash with the Concordia University Tornados at Paul McGinley Field.

The Tigers delivered a dominant weekend at home, first rolling past Schreiner 6-0 on Friday before shutting out Kalamazoo 3-0 on Sunday. They showed off their significant depth with six different goal scorers against Schreiner, including freshman Thomas Kay (Stanstead Mountfitchet, England / Bishop's Stortford) and hometown product Will Robinson (Kerrville, Texas / Tivy) netting their first collegiate goals, while Samuel Theiss (Boerne, Texas / Boerne) capped the night with a dazzling solo effort. Two days later, Trinity stayed perfect as Adam Knutson (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs) opened the scoring before Theiss added a brace to extend his scoring streak to three straight matches. Across both games, the Tigers outshot their opponents 48-8 and didn't allow a single shot on target, underscoring a perfect balance of attacking firepower and defensive solidity in their unbeaten 3-0-0 start.

SAA Defensive Player of the Week - Luke Chandler 

From the SAA press release: 
 
Chandler led the 11th-ranked Trinity University men's soccer team to a pair of shutout victories at home this weekend, defeating Schreiner University (TX) 6-0 and Kalamazoo College (MI) 3-0. Chandler and the Tiger defense yielded just eight total shots across 180 minutes of action, notching its first two shutouts of the young season. None of the eight shots allowed by Trinity were on-target, and Chandler also added an assist on the eventual game-winning goal of Friday's win over Schreiner. 
 
Preview
 
To open the weekend, the Tigers face a short trip to Seguin, TX to face off against Texas Lutheran University, on Friday, September 12th at 7:30 p.m. They will then be back at home against Concordia University on Sunday, September 14th, at 6:00 p.m. 
 
On the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs: Texas Lutheran University has been a familiar SCAC foe for the Tigers, with Trinity holding a commanding 36-7-1 advantage in the all-time series, including an 8-2 mark over the last 10 meetings. The Bulldogs are known for their physical style of play, and recent matchups between the two sides have often turned into heated, dramatic battles.
 
The 2024 SCAC clash between the Tigers and Bulldogs turned into a thriller, with Trinity pulling out a dramatic 3-2 win on home turf. The now-graduated Louis Instrall (London, England / Hampton School) struck first for the Tigers, but Texas Lutheran answered with back-to-back goals to take a 2-1 lead. Trinity battled desperately to get back into the match, and it wasn't until the 87th minute that fellow graduate Will Powell (London, England / Beth's Grammar School) leveled the score. With just 40 seconds left on the clock, Luke Chandler (Glasgow, Scotland / Balfron) delivered the bench-clearing winner to seal the Tigers' 36th victory in the series. The Bulldogs closed their season with a strong 9-2-5 record but narrowly missed out on the SCAC tournament.
 
The Bulldogs enter this weekend's matchup with a 2-1-1 record, coming off a 1-1 draw with Marymount University and a commanding 5-0 win over Howard Payne. However, they've lost significant experience from last year's roster, with all three of their 2024 all-region selections having graduated. That leaves Trinity facing a young Bulldogs squad eager to prove itself in what always is the Bulldogs' biggest game of the season.
 
Players to watch out for: Key players to watch for the Bulldogs include junior defender Carson Alldredge, an All-SCAC honorable mention last season and the lone returner from the program's eight All-SCAC honorees in 2024. In midfield, sophomore Evan Pacheco has emerged as an early standout, earning this week's SCAC Offensive Player of the Week after tallying three goals and two assists through the first four matches. His ability to push forward from midfield will be a key challenge for the Trinity defense.
 
On the Concordia University Tornados: Concordia University has become a familiar opponent for the Tigers, with the two sides meeting in three of the past four seasons. Trinity has never lost to the Tornados, holding a perfect 3-0 record in the series - one they'll look to extend after this weekend's matchup.

The 2024 SCAC showdown between the Tigers and Tornados ended in a gritty 2-1 Trinity victory on Concordia's home turf. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half, the Tigers came out firing in the second, with Knutson netting the equalizer before the now-graduated Hunter Cain (Katy, Texas / Cinco Ranch) delivered the winner in the 83rd minute, sparking jubilant celebrations as the Trinity bench and coaching staff sprinted down the touchline. Concordia finished the season 9-5-4, narrowly missing out on the SCAC tournament.

The Tornados enter the weekend with a perfect 2-0 start, posting wins over Howard Payne (3-1) and Hardin-Simmons (1-0). Before meeting the Tigers, they'll face a major test in Georgetown against the No. 13 nationally ranked Southwestern Pirates. Concordia, however, will be fielding a much younger squad this season after graduating 16 players from last year's roster. Like Texas Lutheran, the Tornados come in hungry and eager to prove themselves against a national championship contender in Trinity.

Players to watch out for: Leading the charge for Concordia's returners are a pair of 2024 All-SCAC selections, junior midfielder Jesse Garfias and senior defender Ahmad Alhendi. On the attacking end, senior midfielder Bryan Rios was the Tornados' leading point scorer last season with four goals and has already bagged one so far this season.
 
Looking Ahead
 
The Tigers will travel to Abilene, TX, on Thursday, September 18th, to take on Hardin-Simmons University, followed by a challenging matchup against East Coast opponent Christopher Newport University on Friday, September 19th.