KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's soccer team dropped their Western Athletic Conference opener 3-2 to UMKC on Friday at Durwood Soccer Stadium.
 
UTRGV (3-3-1) took the lead in the first half as sophomore Juanito Ramirez got his first goal of the season. Sophomore Ilias Kosmidis and redshirt sophomore Jaakko Hietikko got credit on the assists as Ramirez took the cross in the box and put it into the goal on a header.
 
UMKC (3-3-3) answered later in the first half with a goal of their own. Eric McWoods got one past UTRGV goalkeeper Andy Rios at the 36:24 mark to tie the game at one.
 
UMKC outshot UTRGV 5-2 in the first half as Rios made four saves.
 
In the second half, sophomore Angel Lopez gave UTRGV the 2-1 lead with a goal at 76:29 on the clock. Lopez received the ball toward the back right post as he put it in with the header for his first goal of the season.
 
UMKC didn't waste any time getting back on the board as McWoods deflected a shot off of a defender and into the goal at 79:20 to tie the match at two.
 
With 4:46 left in the match, McWoods was at it again as he took the pass from Pandeli Popgeorgiev and put it in goal for the hat trick giving UMKC the 3-2 led.
 
UMKC outshot UTRGV 12-9 overall and 8-3 on shots on goal as Rios (3-3-1) made five saves on the night.
 
UTRGV will be back in action on Sunday at 2 p.m. when they visit Air Force.

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