By: Everett Corder (everett.corder@lcu.edu)
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LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (3-1-0) vs.
WEST TEXAS A&M (1-2-1)
Wednesday, September 9 – 7 p.m.
LCU Soccer & Track Complex – Lubbock, Texas
LADY CHAP HEADERS
Lubbock Christian University opens Lone Star Conference play on Wednesday, hosting rival West Texas A&M at 7 p.m. at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex
Lauren Rotan had two assists against Western Colorado, making her the first Lady Chap with multiple helpers in one game since Sept. 9, 2023, when Lexi De La Cruz had three assists against New Mexico Highlands
With three goals and one assist, Logan Holloway currently ranks seventh in the Lone Star Conference in total points with seven, and she has had a point in three of four matches
The Lady Chaps are 3-3-2 all-time against West Texas A&M and have not lost to them since 2021, going 2-0-2 in the last four matchups
LCU’s 3-1-0 start is their best to a season since 2021, when they went 3-0-1 in the first four matches
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
Lubbock Christian’s offense exploded in their first road game of the season, beating Western Colorado 8-2 in Gunnison, Colorado. It third-most in a single game in program history and the most since Sept. 22, 2019, when they beat UT Permian Basin 11-0. It is the the second-most goals scored by an LSC team in a game this year and tied for the third-most by a Division II team. Both Holloway and Journey Curs finished with multiple goals in the win, and four other players found the back of the net. Eight different Lady Chaps have now scored at least once this season, and they are averaging 3.25 goals per game, which is the fourth-best mark in the league.
DOOM, NOT GLOOM
LCU junior defender Trinity Doom had back-to-back game-winners as the Lady Chaps completed their perfect 2-0 road trip in Colorado to round out non-conference play. Her first goal of the season was the third one scored by LCU in the route of the Mountaineers. She followed that up by scoring the lone goal against CSU-Pueblo, heading home a 61st minute corner kick to win the game. Doom played 160 minutes across the two matches, including the full 90 against the Thunderwolves, in which the Lady Chaps notched their first shutout of the year.
ALL THE WRIGHT PLACES
Senior Emma Wright has handled the majority of the goalkeeping duties for the Lady Chaps this year, playing 270 minutes as LCU’s last line of defense. Early this season, the Longview, Texas, native surpassed the 100-save mark for her collegiate career, and last weekend she recorded her first shutout of the year. In the clean sheet against CSU-Pueblo, Wright made a season-high six saves, including three in the last eight minutes of the match as the Thunderwolves pressed hard for an equalizer.
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
The Lone Star Conference announced its 2026 women’s soccer preseason poll and players to watch on Wednesday, with Lubbock Christian University picked to finish ninth and Riley Espinoza, Casey Storer and Emma Wright named players to watch. LCU garnered 336 points in the poll overall, just behind the 338 of eight place St. Edward’s, but well ahead of West Texas A&M in 10th. The preseason poll is voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.
RIVALRY ON THE RANGE
The LCU/WT matchup will be the first in the 2026-27 school year’s Rivalry on the Range series. Announced on August 6, 2019, the Rivalry on the Range is a year-long competition including 15 sports in which the two schools will compete against one another. The Rivalry on the Range series scoring components includes head-to-head battles in men’s soccer, women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball and softball, with additional points available in postseason play. Fans can review the scoring system at rivalryontherange.com.
WHERE THE HEART IS
Lubbock Christian is currently 1-1-0 at home after going 4-4-1 at the friendly confines last year. Including Wednesday’s game, they have seven home contests left this year. The LCU Soccer & Track Complex was completed in August of 2020 and features an AstroTurf playing surface, a Musco lighting system to allow for night games and stadium seating for 500 fans. LCU’s women’s team has an all-time record of 71-37-24 all-time in home games. They have only posted losing records at home twice in 15 seasons. They did not lose a home game in 2015 (7-0-2) and won a program-high eight home games in 2019 (8-1-1).
SCOUTING THE BUFFS
WT’s one win so far this season was in their second game of the season against New Mexico Highlands by a score of 3-0
The Buffs are averaging just 1.0 goals per game so far, which ranks 11th out of the 15 teams in the league
Head coach Bulut “Turk” Ozturk is in his second season leading the WT program, coming over from serving on the Iowa State coaching staff
Franciezca Blancaflor has played every minute in goal so far this season for the Buffs, allowing just three goals with an .857 save percentage
Despite their low scoring output so far this season, West Texas A&M is fourth in the LSC with 8.75 shots on goal per game
A WIN ON WEDNESDAY WOULD
Be the 143rd in Lubbock Christian program history (141-106-37)
Be the 20th under head coach Alistair Caldwell (19-17-6)
Be the Lady Chaps’ 4th win against the Buffs in the all-time series, which began in 2013 (3-3-2)