Staff Report
The UNM men's soccer team started the 2002 season in winning fashion taking two games in Las Vegas, Nev., over the weekend.
The Lobos defeated Northern Illinois University 2-1 on Friday and shutout Marshall University 3-0 on Sunday. Both games showed off UNM's freshman class, especially freshman Lance Watson, who scored in both games.
On Friday, UNM got goals from Watson and senior Junro Narita in defeating the Huskies. Watson scored on a shot from 35 yards out in the 30th minute.
The Lobos would get six more shots on goal in the first half, but could not convert them into another score.
Northern Illinois would equalize just 20 seconds into the second half. Huskie Brendan Parrish scored on a give-and-go from Bernhard Hagevik to make the score 1-1.
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It would be UNM goalkeeper Andrew Weber's only slip of the match. Weber collected 3 saves in the game.
The Lobos sealed the victory in the 74th minute when junior Micah Newman assisted Narita on the game-winning goal.
The Lobos showed little fatigue on Sunday in shutting out Marshall. UNM benefited from a trio of freshmen, Watson, Matt Chavez and Ben Ashwill, who were involved in all three Lobo goals and Weber's sixth career shutout.
Watson scored the first goal in the 26th minute after taking a free kick from Chavez's, volleying it on one bounce before slamming it in for the score. The assist was Chavez's first of the season.
Weber would have to make only one save in the first half as the Lobo defense kept the Thundering Herd corralled.
UNM scored again in the 65th minute when Watson assisted Chavez on his first collegiate goal.
The Lobos wrapped up the scoring in the 87th minute when Ashwill took a center pass from sophomore Eric Carlson to make the score 3-0.
UNM continues to play on the road next weekend with games against Georgia Southern University and the University of Illinois at Chicago in Denver.
The Lobos first home game is Sept. 13 against California State Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.
