BROWNWOOD, Texas - With twenty-eight seconds left in the first half, the East Texas Baptist University men's soccer team netted their only goal as they held off Howard Payne University, 1-0, for an American Southwest Conference victory. ETBU stands at 6-7-3 overall and 2-6-2 in the ASC as they recorded their third shutout of the year.
 
Both teams would have chances to score early, but off sides prevented each squad from taking a 1-0 lead. The first half would be played out as a defensive struggle with neither team being able to get anything through the net. All that would change with time winding down as Thomas Sanford broke through and scored the goal to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Samuel Arellano was credited with the assist. Sanford was in the right place in the box as he slipped it by the HPU goalie.
 
After halftime, the Tigers spent much of the second half on the defensive side as HPU tried to tally the equalizer. ETBU would get a couple of chances to make it a two-goal lead but that was easier said than done. HPU's goalkeeper Andrew Hackney and their defense kept the game close. Late in the game, HPU had an opportunity to tie and send the game to overtime but once again, an off sides call prevented them and ETBU escaped with the 1-0 win. 
 
On a team that outshot HPU 10-6, Jordan Burke and Silas Sangano were the only ETBU players with two shots in the game. Goalkeeper Bryant Botello made three saves for his team. Meanwhile, HPU had Michael Westerman and Tracer Moore, who also had two shots each. Hackney would also make three saves for his team in goal.
 
ETBU will finish out their season by heading to Richardson, Texas, to take on Texas Dallas on Saturday at 7:30 PM.