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LeTourneau University Athletics

LeTourneau University, opens in new tab
LeTourneau University, opens in new tab
Zach Malik
Jennifer Segura
2
Winner Howard Payne HPU (5-8-0, 4-6-0 ASC)
1
LeTourneau LETU (6-7-2, 5-4-1 ASC)
Winner
Howard Payne HPU
(5-8-0, 4-6-0 ASC)
2
Final
1
LeTourneau LETU
(6-7-2, 5-4-1 ASC)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 F
Howard Payne HPU 1 0 0 1 2
LeTourneau LETU 1 0 0 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Contact: Matt Kinney, Sports Information Director, mattkinney@letu.edu

Penalty Kick In Second Overtime Stuns LETU Men's Soccer vs. Howard Payne

LONGVIEW, Texas - Following a chance to win the game in overtime on a penalty kick, the LeTourneau University men's soccer team would see a penalty kick from Howard Payne make the difference in a 2-1, two overtime home defeat at the LETU Soccer Field on Thursday, October 25th. 

With the loss, LETU now sits at 6-7-2 overall and 5-4-1 in the American Southwest Conference while HPU improved to 5-8-0 overall and 4-6-0 in the ASC. 

How It Happened:
  • LeTourneau managed to put pressure on Howard Payne from the opening whistle, putting a shot on goal from Christian Hunter just 20 seconds into the game. 
  • After earning a corner kick, LETU would be forced back into the defensive third of the field as HPU would find chances of their own just a few minutes later with a pair of shots that wouldn't pose a serious threat. 
  • Holding possession in the LeTourneau defensive third, Howard Payne would send a cross into the 18-yard box that would wind up deflecting off an LETU player and into the back of the net for an own goal to put HPU up 1-0 12:56 into the match. 
  • The uphill climb for LeTourneau would become even more difficult just over five minutes later as a red card would send off a player for LETU and give Howard Payne an 11 against 10 advantage moving forward. 
  • Overcoming the adversity thrown their way, LeTourneau would be awarded a penalty kick in the 36th minute following a foul from HPU in the 18-yard box that would allow Zachariah Malik to step up and knot the score at 1-1. 
  • Howard Payne would look to respond just a few minutes later and put up a pair of shots, forcing one save from LETU goalie C.J. Leyva. 
  • Heading into the second half with the score still tied at 1-1, the match would become more of a possession style of game due to worsening field conditions as traction on the field would be hard to come by. 
  • A David Trost shot from 25 yards out in the 60th minute would very nearly put LETU up 2-1 before sailing just left of the goal as neither team would be able to find many opportunities moving forward. 
  • The game would become a battle of 10-against-10 following a red card against a Howard Payne player in the 79th minute as each team would make one final push to find a go-ahead goal. 
  • Howard Payne would manage to put a ball through the LETU defensive back line to a surging forward who would end up putting a shot off the crossbar before seeing a second shot off the rebound get just barely turned away by Leyva in the 88th minute. 
  • With neither team able to find a game-winning goal in the second period, the game would go to overtime where LeTourneau would be awarded a penalty kick at the 91:38 mark. 
  • Sending Moises Soto-Barrera up to take the kick, Howard Payne goalkeeper Andrew Hackney would guess correctly and make a diving save to keep the game going as the rest of the overtime period would go without a goal. 
  • In the second extra period, LETU would get off a shot from Cordrick Sabbatini that would sail wide left in the opening minute, which would give the ball back to Howard Payne on a goal kick. 
  • Moving the ball down the field, HPU would be awarded a corner kick and then a penalty kick for an LETU foul inside the 18-yard box with a chance to win the game. 
  • With just 6:45 remaining in the match, HPU's Michael Westerman would put a shot in the lower right corner of the goal that would be deflected by Leyva but have just enough power on it to find a way into the net for a game-ending goal. 
Key Stats: 
  • With a total of 31 shots in the game, HPU would outshoot LETU by a total of 17-14 and hold an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal. 
  • Leyva would be busy for most of the night, turning away six shots and coming out of the goal area multiple times to clear the ball away to try and reset field position for LeTourneau. 
  • 12 of LETU's 14 shots would come from the starting 11, including a team-high three shots from Malik. 
What's Next?
Senior night is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 27th for LeTourneau when they play host to the University of Texas-Dallas at 7:30 p.m. The Comets were scheduled to play East Texas Baptist University on Thursday evening, but had their match postponed 1 p.m. on Friday which will be played in Bossier City, Louisiana. LETU will honor three seniors on Saturday evening (David Trost, David Pinilla, Alec Wier) prior to the match. 
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