SHREVEPORT, La. – Santi De La Torre ripped a shot from just inside the midfield line into the back of the net 7:40 into a game these YellowJackets have been longing to play. Russell Gray added another off a midfield-long feed less than four minutes before the final horn.
 
Mission accomplished.
 
LeTourneau University men's soccer team shut out host Centenary, 2-0, Saturday night in the 2020-21 season opener -- some six months after it was supposed to be competing.
 
De La Torre's goal in the eighth minute came on a setup from Oscar Vargas. Gray banged home another in the 87^th minute on a setup from Beau Weber.
 
LeTourneau goalkeeper CJ Leyva stopped all three shots he faced to record the shutout for the Jackets, who outshot Centenary, 14-12. Gents keeper Sami Borchalli stopped two of LETU's four shots on goal.
 
Weber had a chance to pad the Jackets' lead at the end of the first half when he put a ball on goal, but Borchalli made the save 43 seconds before the intermission. Leyva thwarted the Gents' attempt to tie the game in the 34^th minute when he stopped Shim Eliya's shot. Just under four minutes into the second half, Centenary's Andres Bautista sent a shot on frame, but Leyva made the save.

Leyva stopped a huge penalty kick in the second half to keep the Gents off the board.
 
Still nursing the 1-0 lead, LeTourneau made a bid to cushion its lead on De La Torre's corner kick delivery that Eric Smith cracked on goal. But Borchalli made the save.

Gray's goal, an tucked this one away.
 
The Jackets will host Louisiana State University Shreveport 7 p.m. Tuesday in the home opener.