Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SAN ANTONIO, TX - UTD men's soccer coach Jack Peel has been around long enough to know that nothing will come easy for his defending American Southwest Conference champions once the league schedule begins in a couple of weeks. So, he purposely put his Comets through a grueling early-season schedule.

The Comets finally responded Friday, getting their first win of the season by running past Southwestern University for a dominating 4-1 victory in a tournament played at Trinity University. On Sunday, however, the Comets found themselves on the other side of the ledger in a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament meeting with eventual finalist Trinity. The Tigers overpowered UTD for a 3-1 victory.

UTD is now 1-3 to start the season, but the three losses have all come to teams ranked in the Top 25 of the initial national Division III poll.

Against Southwestern Kevin White scored for the third straight game, this time picking up a pair of goals in the first few minutes of both halves to post UTD to a 3-0 lead. His game-winning goal came 28:54 into the first half on an unassisted shot. Freshman Mihir Bhadbhade got his first goal of the season on an assist from Landon Melcher at 37:23 to make it 2-0 at the half.

White then scored off a Jess Mitchell assist at the 59:48 mark to increase the lead to 3-0 before Southwestern got its only goal on just its third shot on goal of the game. Stephen Ambrose then capped off the scoring with an unassisted goal at the 77:43 mark.

UTD outshot Southwestern 18-9 and had nine shots on goal.

The numbers were reversed in the match with Trinity as the Tigers out-shot UTD, 24-9 and had three goals all before halftime. The Tigers (4-0) scored just 13:05 in on a header off a free kick in what would be a very physical game. Twenty-six fouls were called and seven cards were issued in the contest.

After Trinity took that 1-0 lead, UTD was able to tie things up at 19:08 when newcomer Jess Mitchell scored on a Kevin White assist. But the Tigers were able to answer at the 31:25 mark and regain the lead, then added an insurance goal four minutes later.

The two teams played a scoreless second half, but Trinity still had an 11-3 advantage in shots. UTD's Jake Brandon made four saves, but was on the receiving end of three goals. UTD did manage four saves out of Trinity keeper Patrick Johnson.


BOXSCORES:
SOUTHWESTERN
TRINITY