ROUND ROCK, Texas – Huston-Tillotson University's men's soccer team gave a solid showing Monday against a formidable opponent in Texas Wesleyan, but it was the other, visiting Rams who went back to Fort Worth with a 2-0 victory.
TWU's Chandler Brookins gave his team the lead in the 34th minute with a close-range strike off a pass from Louis Guffroy. Diogo Stefane's second goal of the season five minutes after halftime gave Texas Wesleyan its margin of victory.
Huston-Tillotson's Rams were not without scoring chances in the match.
Christian Kisukulu (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo/Michigan Lutheran HS) was taken down down in the penalty area less than three minutes into the game, but the ensuing penalty kick was blocked by TWU goalkeeper Axel Tonietto.
HT saw two other quality scoring chances in the second half negated by offsides calls.
Monday's match between the two former Red River Athletic Conference rivals was also a family affair. Kisukulu, a three-year letterwinner for HT, squared off against his younger brother Joel, who is playing his junior season at Texas Wesleyan.
A striker, Joel Kisukulu was denied a goal in the 78th minute when his shot from near the goal box was turned away by HT goalkeeper
Luke Phillips (Liberty Hill, Texas / Liberty Hill).
Each team managed eight shots in the first half, with HT's Rams putting four shots on goal compared to their opponents' two. The other Rams outshot HT 11-3 in the second half.
HT returns to action Saturday, Aug. 30, with a highly anticipated, non-conference match across Interstate Highway-35 at St. Edward's University. The Hilltoppers were picked to finish third in the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference.
Kickoff between HT's Rams and the Hilltoppers is scheduled for approximately 7 p.m., and will begin 30 minutes after the completion of the women's match between the two schools.
– HT –
