Head Coach Heather Dyche called Friday’s overtime loss particularly hard because it had been the best New Mexico has played this year. The Lobos made sure on Sunday that their best resulted in a win.
UNM’s offense clicked into a gear not seen since the Sept. 3 Idaho State game, scoring three first-half goals en route to a 5-1 victory over Fresno State at the UNM Soccer Complex. The game saw the most Lobo goals scored this season, and the most they’ve had since netting four against the Bengals during nonconference play.
“I think this is the best weekend we’ve had all year,” Dyche said. “We’re finally starting to have an identity on how we want to attack and a real clear sense of what roles and responsibilities are, where balls need to go, and we’re picking the more dangerous option.”
The win salvages a key weekend for the Lobos (7-7-1, 5-2-1 MW). Friday’s 2-1 OT loss was to a San Jose State team tied atop the Mountain West standings, and two other tough Mountain West schools — Colorado College and San Diego State — are still on the horizon.
UNM remains in third place in the conference standings behind SDSU and SJSU, who played each other on Sunday. The Lobos stayed ahead of Colorado College by one point.
UNM maintained a balanced offense throughout with five different players scoring goals, three of whom had two players providing assists on them. Forward Quincy Slora, who had an unassisted goal against Colorado State last week, posted a goal and two assists against Fresno State.
“I think we are going up a steady slope and peaking at the right time,” Slora said. “People are talking about us and a little bit intimidated to play us by the way the results have been and the way we are showing on the field. The result shows we’re competing and coming together as a team.”
In addition to its potent offense, the UNM defense also withstood a feisty Fresno State attack. The Bulldogs actually outshot New Mexico 21-14 (13-9 in the first half), and UNM goalkeeper Cassie Ulrich saved four Fresno State shots in the first half, two days after she misplayed San Jose State’s first goal on Friday.
UNM had no more than two goals in any game other than the Idaho State outing, including six 1-goal contests.
“From previous weekends, we knew what we needed to do,” defender Emily Chavez said. “I think we were more composed, less worried about making mistakes, and I think we looked like we were having more fun. It was fun to play.”
The Lobo offense opened the game swinging in the first half, attacking the Fresno State goal with two strong scoring opportunities from forward Lindsey Guice and midfielder Claire Lynch (both saved by Fresno State goalkeeper Marie Berwinkel-Kottmann).
Lynch broke through at the 23-minute mark, benefiting from assists by midfielder/forward Dylann O’Connor and Guice. O’Connor on the near side passed to Lynch, and she sent the ball high over goalkeeper Berwinkel-Kottmann.
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The goal put Lynch into a tie for the team lead in goals with forward Madisyn Olguin (three), but only for about two minutes. Olguin scored her fourth of the season moments later on the near corner of the net off defender/midfielder Brooke Webster’s assist.
Forward Korynn Blanksma capped the first-half scoring eruption at the 60-minute mark, this time off assists by Olguin and Slora. Olguin dumped the ball to Blanksma on a breakaway run to the net, and converted her first goal of 2015.
Guice and Slora continued the scoring in the second half. Slora chipped in an assist for Guice, who scored on a hard shot to the upper right corner.
Ten minutes later with help from defender Victoria Archuleta and forward Ruth Bruciaga, Slora added a goal to her two assists when she took a long crossing pass and shot from inside the box for her third score of the year.
“Quincy’s a smart player,” Dyche said. “She thinks, and anything that we talk about in the locker room or work on in training she implements it into the game. She’s being rewarded for her hard work and her effort. It’s certainly coming at the right time.”
Fresno State mustered its goal late in the game after New Mexico made substitutions to get players more field time, including at goalkeeper. Midfielder/forward Myra Delgadillo scored at the 87:36 mark with assists from midfielder Maria Gomez and defender Sara Jo Ciapponi.
J.R. Oppenheim is the managing editor of the Daily Lobo. Contact him at managingeditor@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @JROppenheim.
