🆚 SMU  
📆 Monday, August 31, 2026
⏰ 7:00 pm
🏟️ Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium - Dallas, Texas
📺 WATCH ESPN+
📈 LIVE STATS  
🗒️ GAME NOTES
 
Houston Christian University faces its first road test of the season on Monday night when it travels to Dallas, Texas to take on No. 5 ranked Southern Methodist University. Kick-off at Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium is scheduled for 7 pm and can be watched through the ACC Network on ESPN+.
 
The Huskies are 1-2-0 early on following the completion of a three-match season-opening homestand. HCU was stunned by a late score by UC San Diego and dropped a tightly contested 1-0 decision on Thursday night at Sorrels Field.
 
A strong defensive game from both sides saw just three shots on target in the first half. Things picked up in the second half, especially from the visitors, who put up 11 shots total in the second 45 minutes. Six of those were on point, including the game-winner which came in the 84th minute.
 
A lost ball in the offensive end led to a breakout by the Tritons. A nifty pass by Ryan Namdar from the middle of the pitch to the left channel found Tyler Cash, who lined a screamer past a sprawling Harvey Heeps to give UCSD the breakthrough.
 
The Tritons then saw things out with strong clearance play over the final five minutes that enabled them to sneak out of Sorrels with the victory and avenge a 2-0 defeat in San Diego to the Huskies last season.
 
Ricardo Garcia had four shots for the Huskies, who only managed to put two of their 11 attempts for the evening on goal. Harvey Heeps took the loss despite a career best seven saves.
 
Through three matches, Ryan Okerayi has scored the team's lone goal, a 75th minute game-winner from the spot in a 1-0 win over UMass Lowell. Harvey Heeps has been solid in his debut season in the pipes, allowing just three goals in three matches with 10 total saves.
 
The Huskies are coming off a second straight runner-up finish in the Ohio Valley Conference. HCU went 11-5-3 overall and advanced to the OVC title match where it fell at Lindenwood to the Lions in a penalty kick shootout. It was the most victories in a single season since the 1990 team won 14 and are now 10-5-5 in league play over the past two seasons. Ryan Pratt enters his 10th season as the head coach of the Huskies, his 13th overall with the program. The Huskies were tabbed to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll.
 
HCU and SMU meet on the pitch for just the ninth time, with the Huskies trailing the all-time series 1-6-1. The two last met on September 2, 2021 with SMU claiming a 3-1 win in Dallas.
 
The Ponies have started the season hot as they enter Monday night's encounter at 3-0 following Friday night's  2-0 defeat of Loyola Marymount in Dallas. The Mustangs have allowed just one goal in three matches thus far, dropping Stetson 3-1 in the season opener before a monumental road victory over then No. 4 ranked Saint Louis. The Mustangs put up four goals on the Billikens while posting a clean sheet and promptly jumped from No. 15 in the preseason poll to No. 5 in the first regular season ranking.
 
This will be the second highest ranked team HCU has ever played, surpassed only by a 2-1 home loss to No. 4 New Mexico in 2012.
 
The Mustangs are led by Kevin Hudson, who is in his 11th season as head coach and 19th overall on the Hilltop. Statistically through two matches senior midfielder Jaylinn Mitchell (1g / 4 a) has six points while senior forward Milton Lopez  and senior forward Mukisa Emmanuel have each scored twice. Sophomore keeper Jonathan Evans has allowed just one goal with two saves against 20 total shots.

The road stretch continues later this week when HCU heads to California for a matchup on Friday with Cal State Northridge.

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