SAN ANTONIO -- The UT Tyler men's soccer team opened its 2012 campaign with a 4-1 loss to No. 4 Trinity (Tx) on Friday night.  The loss is the first in a season-opener for the men since 2009 when they fell 1-0 to Southwestern.

After a 2011 season in which the Patriots reached the NCAA quarter-finals, winning 18 games, UT Tyler continued their early-season tradition of facing the always-dangerous Tigers.

The game started with both teams finding their footing in the new season, looking for their offensive identity.

Elijah Shipman got his first shot on goal at the 9:07 mark in the first half, but Tigers goalie Matt Cardone was able to corral the ball to keep the game scoreless.

Senior Chris Powell also had a chance in the 17th minute, but again, Cardone was able to keep the ball out of the net.

The Tigers were able to sneak in a goal just before the end of the first-half, when Tom Carwile took the pass from Yuri Ribiero, heading it past Patriots' goalie Sergio Gardea for the 1-0 lead.

After a defensive-minded first half, the second-half was all Trinity.

Brian Hines scored just three minutes into the second half, bringing the score to 2-0 on a nifty header in the box, but the Patriots were not willing to concede defeat.

Shipman, who finished the game with three shots, put in the only goal for the Patriots on the night on a penalty kick, making the score 2-1 with nearly a full half to play.

Trinity wasted no time answering, getting a goal from Simon Uribe just 30 seconds later, bringing the score to 3-1 Tigers.

With the game in hand, Jeff Hayes took a pass from Yuri Ribiero to make the score 4-1 with 20 minutes to play.

The Patriots were able to get-off four more shots the rest of the way, two by Powell, and one each by newcomers Alex Sanchez and Douglas Leighton, but once again were unable to get the ball past Tigers' goalie Cardone.

With the win, Trinity brings it's all-time record to  8-1 against UT Tyler all-time.

Powell finished the game leading the Patriots with four shots, two on-goal while Shipman added two-on goal and his first goal of the year.

The Patriots will hit the pitch again on Monday, September 3 against Southwestern in Georgetown at noon.