Dodge City men's soccer continued their strong start to the season with a 2-1 victory at home against Western Texas, improving to 3-0-1 to start the season. 
 
The matchup proved to be back-and-forth as both teams-controlled possession for periods of time throughout the contest. The Conqs would establish early control and make a few runs towards the goal and for the third straight match net an early goal to take the lead as Davide Dalla Francesca made a run at the goal but after a save by Western Texas, Soma Kanazawa would get a second chance for the Conqs and he'd tally his second goal of the season five and a half minutes into the contest. 
 
The lead would hold up for the next 24 minutes, but Western Texas in the 28th minute found the back of the net for the equalizer, and the matchup would go into halftime even at 1-1. In the second half, Dalla Francesca made another strong run and, off a Kanazawa pass, would give the Conqs the lead in the 59th minute. Geovanni De Luna was huge in goal in the second half as he the Conqs' back line defense was a stonewall with several strong clearances and multiple big saves by De Luna. In the final moments of the contest, Western Texas sent a shot off the crossbar and had another late look for the tie, but the Conqs avoided a goal by Western Texas to secure the 2-1 win. 
 
The match was nearly even as the Conqs only outshot Western Texas 20-17, while Western Texas outshot the Conqs in shots on goal at 10-7. Kanazawa finished with an assist and a goal, while Dalla Francesca netted his second goal of the season. De Luna was stout in goal, recording nine saves in the victory; his nine saves give him 97 in his career. 
 
Up next, the Conqs step into KJCCC play as they will hit the road for the conference opener on Wednesday, September 10th, against Coffeyville with a 4:00 pm start time.