COMMERCE– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team will begin its conference schedule with two road matches this weekend. The Lions will face Eastern New Mexico on Friday and West Texas A&M on Sunday.
 
Eastern New Mexico
WHO: No. 11 Texas A&M-Commerce (3-0-2, 0-0-0 LSC) vs. Eastern New Mexico (1-3-2, 0-0-0 LSC)
WHERE: Al Whitehead Field in Portales, N.M.
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. CDT
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: goeasternathletics.com/showcase?Live=686
 
West Texas A&M
WHO: No. 11 Texas A&M-Commerce (3-0-2, 0-0-0 LSC) vs. West Texas A&M (2-2-1, 0-0-0 LSC)
WHERE: The Pitch in Canyon, Texas
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: portal.stretchinternet.com/wtamu/
 
The Lions are coming off of a hard-fought 1-1 tie against Harding University on Friday. The Lions outshot HU 34-14 in the match, including a 17-5 advantage in shots on goal. However, the Lions were not able to get the go-ahead goal to win the match.
 
We created chances," said head coach Neil Piper. "We just couldn't put it away. Harding put up a good effort. They had some chances to score as well. But when you have 34 shots and only get one goal, it was frustrating. But in soccer the name of the game is scoring goals and we couldn't do it. We probably got the result that we deserved."
 
The Lions now enter their conference schedule with two road matches. Piper knows the intensity of a Lone Star Conference match will be different than any other match his team has yet faced. With so many new faces on the team, he knows his team will have to adapt to the increased level of play.
 
"We are the defending regular season champs– we have a target on our back," he said. "We have a young team and I don't think they quite realize the intensity of conference play. But they certainly will this weekend after we get done with Eastern and West Texas."
 
The Lions begin by traveling to New Mexico to take on the Greyhounds. While the Lions have dominated the all-time series against ENMU (17-2-1), many of the matches in Portales have come down to the wire.
 
"We have never done well in Portales," he said. "Every game we have ever had there has been tight. They play a nice style and they spread you out. It is just difficult to play there. But hopefully we can grind out a result."
 
The Lions will then face West Texas A&M, who tied with the Lions for the regular season conference championship. While the Lions have won three of their last four matches against the Lady Buffs, the Lions have only come out on top once in their last four tries in Canyon.
 
"They were co-champs with us last year," Piper said of WT. "They have some good players. We have a little bit of animosity between us going back the last few years. That should be a fun game."
 
The Lions are ranked 11th in the nation in the most recent Division II United Soccer Coaches Poll. They are the only undefeated team left in the LSC. After finishing their four-game road stand, the Lions will return home to face TWU on Sept. 27.