SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word men's soccer team is set to play their last two home games of the season at Benson Stadium this week. They host Houston Baptist on Thursday at 7 p.m. and UT Rio Grande Valley on Sunday at 6 p.m.

The Cardinals (6-6, 2-4) are coming off their worst loss of the season at UNLV, a 5-1 loss on Sunday, but are ready to come back home where they have been much more successful. They are 4-1 at home this season, compared to 1-4 on the road and 1-1 on neutral sites.

UIW is averaging 13.8 shots and 2.08 goals per game on the season.  They are outscoring their opponents 25-18 and have scored 18 of their 25 goals in the second half.  Noah Keats (Exeter, Eng./The King's School) leads the team with eight goals and nineteen points. He also ranks second in the conference in those two categories.  Dylan Kelly (Tucson, AZ/Salpointe Catholic HS) scored a hat-trick in last Thursday's game against Grand Canyon and now has a total of four goals, which is tied with O'Neal Moore (Houston/Alief Taylor HS) for second on the team.  Kelly's six assists lead the team and the entire conference.

Their two opponents this week are Houston Baptist and UTRGV.  Last year, the Cardinals played HBU twice and beat them both times. The first game was at home where they won 3-0 and then they played at HBU where UIW won 2-0.  They played UTRGV earlier this year in an exhibition game that ended 0-0 on the road.

Houston Baptist (7-6-1, 3-2-1) has not lost in their last four games. They beat the top two teams in the conference Seattle U (3-1) and Utah Valley (2-1).  Then they tied 2-2 against UMKC in double OT and later beat Air Force 2-1 also in double OT. They are currently ranked fourth in the WAC with 10 points and will look to move up this week.  They are averaging 1.57 goals per game and they are outscoring their opponents, 22-20 on the year.  They have scored 14 of their 22 goals in the second half.  Their leading scorers are Marcelo Acuna, who has eight goals and two assists for a total of 18 points and George Kelley, who has six goals and two assists.  Acuna also ranks second in the conference with four game-winners this year.

UT Rio Grande Valley (4-9-1, 1-5) is on a current four-game losing streak in which they have been outscored 7-3.  During the entire season, they have been outscored 19-15.  They are averaging 1.07 goals and 8.9 shots per game.  The Vaqueros have four players tied for team lead in goals.  Isidro Martinez, Carlos Acevedo, Juanito Garcia and Isaiah Hinds all have two goals apiece, while Martinez leads the team with five assists and nine points.  Goalkeeper Leo Castillo leads the conference in saves, 70, and saves per game, 5.38.
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