MARSHALL, Texas – Looking to bounce back from a tough weekend, the East Texas Baptist University men's soccer team will be welcoming two Abilene schools in Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University this weekend at Cornish Field. At this point, ETBU is currently 2-3 while looking for their first conference win of the season.
 
Last weekend saw ETBU fall in 2-0 games to both the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Concordia in both games. Through five games, Silas Sangano (one goal), Travis Floyd, and Juan Cairo each have six shots total while Samuel Arellano has the lone assist for ETBU. Bryant Botello allows a 1.00 GAA in net collecting 26 saves and posted one shutout along the way.
 
This week, ETBU hosts both HSU and McM at home. Against HSU all-time, the Tigers won just four of 17 meetings against the Cowboys, including a 1-0 defeat at Abilene last season. Winless after five meetings (0-4-1), HSU picked up a 1-1 draw against the University of Texas Dallas while falling 3-2 in overtime against Sul Ross State University. Kiko Redondo has scored two goals on the season while Frane Vidosevic (one assist) leads the team with 11 shots.
 
Despite playing against a winless HSU squad this week, head coach Chris Crawford is not overlooking the challenges the Cowboys will bring. "They're a team that's going to sit back behind numbers on the ball," said Coach Crawford. "They counter quickly and they're great on set pieces. Defensively, they're a tough team to break down. So we're going to have to be really focused. We're going to have to take care of every opportunity we get to be able to move the ball, which is going to help us out. But we're going to have to move it with a purpose and move it with passion. We're going to move it with intensity so that we can get our opportunities."
 
In their head-to-head meeting with the War Hawks, ETBU suffered their first lost against McM in eleven meetings last season by the score of 2-0. McM (2-1-2) picked up their first conference win against SRSU 2-1. Rafael Lara leads McM in goals (four), shots (14), and shots on goal (six) while Jesus Sanchez has two assists to lead the War Hawks. In goal, Francisco Avilez collects 21 saves while allowing a 1.62 GAA.
 
 
ETBU's two games against HSU (Thursday) and McM (Saturday) both start at 7:30 PM.