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Sept. 25, 2005

Box Score

Senior All-American forward Josh Fender's Southwest Soccer Conference-record four goals led the way for the 11th-ranked West Texas A&M University men's soccer team's 5-1 victory over Missouri Southern State University Sunday afternoon at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.

Fender's goal outburst establishes a new SSC record, which was previously three goals, scored by Fender and six others last year in the first year of the SSC. It also ties a WTAMU school record, joining Jason Morgan in 1996 and Ian Lynch in 2001 as the only Buffs' to tally four goals in a match. Fender doubles his season goal output, as he entered the match with four goals, as he now has 19 points on the season on the eight goals and three assists.

The Buffs improve to 7-1-0 overall and remain perfect in SSC action with a 7-0 conference ledger. The Lions lost for the fifth time in the last six matches and fall to 3-8 overall and 1-6 in SSC play.

WTAMU controlled the action from the get-go, as Fender had a scoring chance less than five minutes into the match, getting the ball past MSSU keeper Travis Haight, but clanked off the post and Haight retreated to chorral it.

In the 44th minute, Fender finally found the net, taking a pass from sophomore midfielder Brett Woolverton and chipping the ball over a sprawling Haight.

The Buffs took the 1-0 lead into halftime, but MSSU tied it at 1-all just 4:11 into the second half, as Dushan Gorechan gathered in a deflected pass from Neil Stoessel and hit the net from 15-yards out.

Fender put WTAMU ahead for good in the 66th minute off a header at the far post from the corner kick pass from freshman midfielder Tom Nutter.

Less than two minutes later, Fender found the back of the net again, as he executed a give-and-go with sophomore midfielder Tomer Otor, hitting Otor at the left wing from just inside the midfield line. Otor took the ball down the left wing and bent a cross to Fender, who one-touched it past Haight for the hat trick.

Freshman forward Raul Rodriguez got into the scoring act by gathering in the ball from 40 yards out and dribbled through the Lions' defense to the goal in the 81st minute.

Otor and Fender hooked up again in the 89th minute as Otor hit Fender with a long pass from midfield and shaking the back of the net for his fourth goal of the match.

WTAMU hits the road for a four-match, non-conference road swing, opening on Friday, Sept. 30 at Denver, Colo., against Metro State College. The Buffs continue the road trip at Colorado State University-Pueblo on Sunday, Oct. 2 at Pueblo, Colo.

The next weekend, WTAMU will return to the state of Colorado to face Colorado School of Mines on Oct. 7 and Fort Lewis College on Oct. 9. Both matches will be hosted by Fort Lewis at Durango. Colo.

The Buffs return home on Oct. 14, when they return to conference action by hosting St. Edward's Universtiy on Oct. 14 and a showdown rematch with Midwestern State University on Oct. 16.

For ticket information, contact the WTAMU Athletics Ticket Office at 806-651-4424.