UTRGV men’s soccer moved into sixth place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings and into tournament-qualifying position with a draw and a win last week. The Vaqueros close the regular season against third-place UIW and fourth-place HCU, with their postseason spot still to secure.

By the Numbers
  • UTRGV has 9 conference points; Southern Indiana and Western Illinois are tied for seventh with 7.
  • The top 6 teams qualify for the OVC tournament, scheduled for Nov. 8–14.
  • Elias Taj has 6 goals this season, including the winner in UTRGV’s 1-0 win over Western Illinois.
Yes, But

UTRGV holds head-to-head wins over both teams currently tied just behind it, but the Vaqueros face two higher-ranked opponents to finish the season. They drew HCU 2-2 in their last meeting and lost to UIW 2-1 earlier this year.

State of Play
  • UTRGV hosts UIW on Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
  • The Vaqueros visit HCU on Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. to close the regular season.
  • Goalkeeper Conrad Knight earned OVC Goalkeeper of the Week after making three saves in the shutout win over Western Illinois.
What’s Next

Results in the final two matches will determine whether UTRGV holds onto a top-six position and reaches the OVC tournament.

Bottom Line

The Vaqueros have climbed into the playoff picture, but their postseason fate is not settled: they’ll need to finish strong against two of the conference’s top four teams.