Box Score FORT WORTH, TX - Texas Wesleyan Men's Soccer (1-5) was inches away from scoring multiple times late in the second half and turning around a two-goal deficit against Paul Quinn (3-0-2) Friday night at Martin Field. Only one opportunity snuck in and a late successful penalty kick helped the Tigers leave Martin Field still unbeaten, a 3-1 loss for the Rams.

The near misses were heartbreaking, especially considering it was an extremely chippy affair that featured five yellow cards, 24 fouls and a combined 45 shots - the most shots by two teams in a 90-minute men's soccer game at Martin Field since 49 shots combined were taken on September 19, 2016 versus ... Paul Quinn. 

In the 68th minute up 1-0, Tiger goalkeeper Gerson Herrera was called for a foul - by catching the ball inside the goalie's box, laying it down then picking it back up again. It put the Rams two feet away from goal with a line of Paul Quinn defenders desperately and bravely standing at the goal line hoping not to take a free kick shot to the face from short distance. Claudio Barraza's first crack at it was deflected by the wall before a second stab was knocked out of play by the Tigers. Off the ensuing Carlos Mendez corner in the 71st minute, Matteus Macedo stood tall and put a header across the bow of the Tigers defense but it was hauled away by Herrera, who recorded five saves in the match.

Paul Quinn would score just two minutes later on the counter.

Down 2-1, the Rams had back-to-back chances in the 81st minute - once by Carlos Mendez and then again seconds later off the foot of Alberto Lopez but both were saved by Jesus Delgado, who came in for Herrera after his near very costly mistake, trying to ice away an opponent. It was in the 77th minute that the Rams finally broke through on a Mendez rocket, assisted by Barraza.

The field opened up in the second half for the offenses, especially in the last 10 minutes when the Rams began to press. But a foul in the box by the Rams in the 86th minute helped give Paul Quinn's Henry Estrada a clean look at goal, keeping Ram goalkeeper Bastian Blumenberg flat-footed attempting to defend the penalty, which Blumenberg did successfully last week against LSU-Alexandria. Blumenberg recorded a whopping 12 saves, the most in any of the 39 games he's played in a Texas Wesleyan uniform.

In his first appearance for TXWES this season, forward Julius Williams gave the offense an extra burst it had been longing for through the first five games of the season. Williams got off three shots, one on goal, but created many other attacking chances for Barraza (five shots) and Mendez (three shots). Juan Rey was physical and an especially obnoxious thorn in the side of the Tigers in the midfield, helping knock them off balance regularly.

The Tigers got their first goal in the 43rd minute just before halftime - this the only point to show for despite getting 18 shots off in the first half.

The Rams will attempt to get off the schneid against LSU-Shreveport when the Pilots come to Martin Field Tuesday Spetember 17 at 7 p.m.