ODESSA, Texas — Continuing to live on high drama after an overtime win last weekend, the Newman men's soccer team held on to a slim lead for a long stretch before opening it up for a 3-0 victory over Texas-Permian Basin to start Heartland Conference play Thursday night.

KEY SEQUENCE

The Jets (3-2-0, 1-0-0 Heartland) were dealing well with the stress that comes with holding on to a one-goal lead for over 47 minutes, but when Carlos Rubio Garcia popped a shot past the Falcons (0-4-0, 0-1-0 Heartland), off the left post and into the back of the net, a weight eased off of Newman's shoulders and let them cruise home with the win.

SCORING PLAYS

-32'-Newman-Vince Couto, assist Ed Jabbari. Jabbari lofted a corner into the box, where Couto outjumped the defense to nod it in.

-79'-Newman-Carlos Rubio Garcia, assist Jamie Barkway. Barkway found Rubio Garcia in the middle of the box, and he banged one off the post and in.

-90'-Newman-Fernando Rubio Garcia, unassisted. Shot from in front of the goal, slid inside far post.

HOW IT HAPPENED

-Newman took the ball straight at UTPB to start, recording two straight corners in the first three minutes, but were unable to get a shot off on them. Carlos Rubio Garcia took the first shot of the game, pushing one to the right.

-Jabbari and Couto got involved in the attack well before they matched up for their first-half goal, with Jabbari forcing the first save of the game out of the Falcons in the 18th, and Couto getting the UTPB keeper to move off his spot in the 21st.

-Couto's goal was the only offense for a long stretch of action, as Rubio Garcia had a shot blocked in the 25th minute, and took the next shot after the score, but not until the 42nd.

-Rubio Garcia kept up his active game with two shots on goal within a minute of each other 10 minutes into the second of the half. The game slowed down from there, as Jamie Barkway got off a shot in the 70th minute.

-Newman picked up shots from Tommy Fiszel and Luca Anelli late, as it maintained possession to keep the Falcons off the scoreboard until Rubio Garcia's big insurance goal late.

NOTES

-It's the second year in a row that the Jets won their Heartland Conference opener, with an identical 1-0 score coming last year against Dallas Baptist. Newman has won two league games in a row and three of its past four dating back to last season.

-While it was holding on to a slim one-goal lead, the Jet defense was absolutely stifling, not allowing a single shot or corner over a 48-minute span from a quick shot right after the first Newman goal until after the second score was recorded.

-Keeper Calum Dillon and the Newman defense pitched the first shutout of the season, and the first for the Jets since last Oct. 8 against DBU. The three-goal win was the most lopsided for the Jets in a conference game since topping UTPB 4-1 in 2012.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Jets continue their Heartland Conference opening weekend Saturday, heading to Lubbock Christian for a 2:30 p.m. matchup against the Chaparrals.