The University of Texas at Tyler men’s soccer team opened the 2004 season with a 5-1 blowout of Texas Wesleyan while the women’s team dropped their opener to the Rams 4-2 Friday in Fort Worth.

Sophomore Malek Bekka scored an unassisted goal in the third minute of the game to open the scoring for the Patriot men (1-0). Bekka scored again ten minutes later on a breakaway assist from junior Apollo Turnbow to extend UT Tyler’s lead to 2-0.

Three Patriot freshmen also contributed goals to the effort as Scott Frickey deflected in a pass from Travis Whitehurst, Derek Miller scored on a penalty kick and Garrett Hamilton bicycle-kicked in a throw-in from Brody Dyer.

“What we say today was a great balance between youth and experience,” said UT Tyler head coach Kenny Jones. “Our freshmen showed us that they will be able to compete at the college level and our returning players showed the same energy and enthusiasm they did last year.”

The UT Tyler women (0-1) also scored early when Leigh Garner deflected a corner kick from fellow sophomore Jana Cruce just 24-seconds into the game, but Texas Wesleyan took control with their first goal seven minutes later and out-shot the Patriots 19-8 overall.

The UT Tyler men will travel to Marshall on Saturday to take on Wiley College in a 4 p.m. match, while the women are off until Sept. 18 when they host UT Dallas.