The UNM men's soccer team turned a disappointing season into a historic one in just five games, changing a struggling program into a flourishing one.
The Lobos' dramatic five-game journey through the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament, ending with a championship and two games in the NCAA Tournament, have molded an off-season of uncertainty into one of optimism.
"We are well on our way to establishing the base of this program," head coach Klaus Weber said. "The way we finished, making it to the NCAA Tournament, is going to help us a great deal in recruiting in the next couple of years."
Although UNM suffered through its second straight losing season, finishing 7-12-2, there is excitement and high expectations of what the program has started to build.
"It is a big step forward for us in many aspects," Weber said. "We are going to get quality recruits and the scheduling of higher quality opponents will be better. We are moving in the right direction."
It was hard to believe that the Lobos were moving in the right direction in the regular season, compiling a 3-11-2 mark, including 0-6-1 in the conference.
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The Lobos limped into the conference tournament, but defeated three opponents that had beaten UNM in the regular season to win the championship, and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
The winning did not stop there, with the Lobos winning their first-round game 1-0 against Florida International University 1-0.
However, UNM lost to number-one ranked Southern Methodist University in the second round 2-0 on the Mustangs home turf Nov. 25.
Weber said the run might have surprised many people, but not him.
"You could see it coming," he said. "We played in so many close games and then we finally settled down at the end of the season. It was just a great finish."
Weber said he expects the confidence that the team gained from the championship and tournament run to continue into next year.
The Lobos will have some talent and experience coming back, with 19 of their 22 players returning.
"We definitely have a core group of players coming back next year," Weber said.
He said the team has a good foundation on defense and in the midfield for years to come, but will have to find forwards.
UNM has a good foundation at goalie, where freshman Andrew Weber shined for most of the season.
He saved his best for last, posting three straight shutouts in the five-game run and not allowing a goal for 389 minutes.
"Andrew definitely contributed to our success," Klaus Weber said. "He won us the conference championship with his stellar play.
"He kept us in many games. I see him getting better and better."
With some talented recruits coming in, and with the experience the youthful Lobos are getting, Klaus Weber said he expects to see an improved team next year and for the foreseeable future.
"I think we will be in much stronger contention next year for the regular season conference crown as well as the tournament one," he said. "I don't know about making the NCAA Tournament every year, but we will be in contention."
