MARSHALL, Texas- Sophomore goalkeeper Adrian Villa continued to stake a claim in the Howard Payne University men's soccer record books, as he tied the program record for most saves in a single game for a goalkeeper in the 5-1 loss against East Texas Baptist University at the Cornish Field on October 29 with 18.

The program record had stood for 13 years. Former Howard Payne goalkeeper Ryan Young set the record in 2013 when Howard Payne lost by a score of 2-0 to the Our Lady of the Lakes Saints in San Antonio on September 14, 2013. Young had bested the previous record of 17 that was set five years prior by Francisco Medina against McMurry.

Not only is Villa's mark a program record, but it is also career high for him. The Roswell, New Mexico native's previous career high was 14, which was set against Hardin-Simmons University on October 4, 2025, during his freshman campaign. This total had put him into a tie for fourth-most in a single game in program history with Allan Chedhadi after Chedhadi made 14 saves in a 1-0 over ETBU on October 17, 2015, at the Citizens National Bank Soccer Field.

Villa totaled 109 saves over the course of his freshman season and ended with 99 saves during his sophomore campaign.

"Adrian is unbelievable," said head coach Brandon McGibeny in his weekly press conference. "That game wasn't a good result for us, but it could've been a lot worse if Adrian wasn't in there. The way that he works day in and day out and prepares himself to match his abilities that God has given him is unreal. He deserves to be confident in what he does. Our job is to get better and better over the next couple of years, so that he doesn't have to get so many saves."

The Howard Payne University men's soccer season came to an end in the American Southwest Conference Quarterfinals with a 2-1 loss to the Schreiner University Mountaineers, so the next opportunity to catch Villa and the rest of the Yellow Jackets will be when Howard Payne takes the field next August during the 2027 season.