The Eastern New Mexico men’s soccer team dropped a heart breaker against Lubbock Christian by a final score of 2-1.
In what essentially served as the Heartland Conference West Division championship game, two costly mistakes on set pieces for the Hounds (8-7-2, 6-5-2 HC) spoiled an otherwise dominant performance inside Greyhound Stadium. Eastern New Mexico outshot the Chaps (8-5-3, 6-4-3) by a final total of 14-to-3 and totaled seven shots on goal in the contest.
The Hounds currently have 20 total points in conference play and will now face a must win over rival West Texas A&M in the final match of the season and have a Texas A&M-International victory over Rogers State in their meeting on Saturday as well to qualify for the Heartland Conference postseason tournament.
Sophomore Lucas Vaz scored the lone goal for the Hounds in the 50th minute off of a cross from midfielder Marvin Lewin, finishing by way of a header to tie the score up at 1-1. Lubbock Christian struck first off a set piece from the center of the field that was mishandled by Eastern keeper Ross Dalton and rolled into the back of the net.
Eastern outshot the Chaps in the first half by a total of 6-to-2 and also recorded three shot on goal attempts along the way. Freshman Aderi Arthur-Dede and forward Gregory Franusic led the way for Eastern with four total shot attempts, two of which were on goal for each player.
The game winning goal came in the 78th minute off another free kick from Conner Dean, who managed both goals for the Chaps on the evening. That shot attempt was the lone attempt conceded by the Hounds for the entire second half of action, while recording eight attempts of their own.
Eastern developed numerous chances in a variety of ways throughout the match, but were unable to put in the second goal to force overtime.
Eastern New Mexico will now look ahead to Saturday afternoon’s match against rival West Texas A&M in a game in which the Hounds must come away with a victory in order to qualify for the Heartland Conference postseason tournament. That game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start inside Greyhound Stadium.
