New Mexico at Kentucky – Sunday, Sept. 25 – 5 p.m. (MT)
Lexington, Ky.
GAME NOTES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — After a week full of accolades, the University of New Mexico men’s soccer team is returning to action on Sunday, Sept. 25 as they travel to Kentucky to open Conference USA play. The Lobos will face the Wildcats at 5 p.m. (MT) on the SEC Network+/Watch ESPN. The game has recently been named by USL PDL as one of the top five college soccer games to watch this weekend.
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This week the Lobos moved from receiving votes in the NSCAA Division I Coaches Poll to #21 in the nation. In addition to the team recognition, senior Niko Hansen earned two national awards including College Soccer News National Player of the Week and Hero Sports HERO of the Week.
Series Record
1-2-0
When Ranked: The Lobos have never played Kentucky when the Wildcats were ranked (Kentucky was ranked until last week)
In Overtime: 0-1
Last Meeting: The last time the teams met was last season on Oct. 4 when the Lobos hosted the Wildcats at the UNM Soccer Complex. The squads were deadlocked at 0-0 until Kentucky’s Stefan Stojkovic netted the gamewinner in double overtime (108:34).
Conference USA Opener
New Mexico is opening Conference-USA competition against Kentucky on Sunday. The Wildcats are currently 0-1 in C-USA play after opening with a loss to FIU by a score of 2-1 on Saturday.
The Wildcats were picked as the preseason favorite in the Conference-USA Preseason Coaches Poll while the Lobos were tabbed to finish tied for fourth with South Carolina. In addition, three Wildcats were named to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team (Napo Matsoso, Stefan Stojkovic and Jordan Wilson) along with two Lobos (Niko Hansen and Chris Wehan).
Scouting (RV) Kentucky
Kentucky enters this week’s competition coming off of a 1-0, double-overtime victory at home against ETSU. Prior to the win, Kentucky suffered two straight losses including a 2-1 deficit in its Conference USA opener against FIU on Saturday, Sept. 17. Kentucky was ranked #21 in the nation in the NSCAA Coaches Poll before its loss to FIU when it dropped out of the top 25. The Wildcats were tabbed as the preseason favorite by Conference USA coaches with senior midfielder Napo Matsoso earning C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors. Matsoso was joined on the Preseason All-Conference Team by junior Stefan Stojkovic and Jordan Wilson.
The two teams are statistically similar. Both the Lobos and the Wildcats have scored nine goals, allowed 1.29 goals per game, posted four shutouts and accumulated a 0.570 shutout percentage. Both teams have demonstrated outstanding defensive efforts that include less than five goals allowed on the season and over 0.82 save percentages.
By The Numbers: UNM vs. UK
Total Points: NM – 23 UK – 27
Total Goals: NM – 9 UK – 9
Total Assists: NM – 5 UK – 9
Goals Per Game: NM – 1.29 UK – 1.29
Goals Allowed: NM – 3 UK – 4
Goal Allowed Avg: NM – 0.42 UK – 0.54
Total Saves: NM – 21 UK – 19
Save Percentage: NM – 0.875 UK – 0.826
Shutouts: NM – 4 UK – 4
Shutout Percentage: NM – 0.570 UK – 0.570
Last Time Out
The Lobos extended their win streak to five after claiming a 3-1 victory over UC Irvine on the road on Saturday, Sept. 17. The game marked the first time the Lobos have scored more than two goals this season and all three goals came off the foot of senior Niko Hansen for his first career hat trick. The hat trick also marked the first for a Lobo since 2012. New Mexico held a 3-0 lead until the 56th minute when the defense allowed its first goal in the run of play this season, breaking a 484:58 scoreless streak.
#21 New Mexico
For the first time this season, the Lobos have made their way into the top 25 rankings. New Mexico received votes in last week’s NSCAA Coaches Poll before earning the #21 spot this week after the the 3-1 victory over UC Irvine. The Lobos are one of just two Conference USA teams to make the top 25, including Charlotte (No. 5). Kentucky and FIU are also receiving votes.
New Mexico vs. Ranked
The Lobos have yet to lose to an unranked team this season. UNM’s only two losses on the season came from currently-ranked #3 Notre Dame and #4 Indiana to kick off the season.
National Player of the Week
Senior Niko Hansen was named College Soccer News National Player of the Week this week for his outstanding, three-goal performance at UC Irvine Saturday. He also earned HERO of the Week honors on Friday and was voted NCAA Soccer National Player of the Week runner-up.
Hansen First in the Nation
Senior Niko Hansen added another gamewinner to his season tally this week at UC Irvine. His second goal of the game, which came in the 49th minute, ultimately marked his fourth game-winning goal of the season. Four gamewinners ties just one other player for first in the country (Marcelo Acuna, Virginia Tech).
Lobos in NCAA Stat Rankings
In addition to being ranked number one in game-winning goals, Hansen is also ranked in the top 16 in five other categories including total goals (6, 11th), shots on goal per game (2.00, 11th), goals per game (0.86, 12th), total points (13, 15th) and points per game (1.86, 16th). Hansen isn’t the only Lobo getting some national recognition however, junior Jason Beaulieu is ranked in the top 10 in two categories including save percentage (0.870, 9th) and goals against average (0.416, 10th) while also holding spots in three other categories.
Team NCAA Stats
As a team, the Lobos are ranked in the top 15 in the nation in three categories including save percentage (0.875, 8th), team goals against average (0.42, 10th) and shutout percentage (0.42, 10th).
Preseason Honors
The Lobos were picked to finish tied for fourth in Conference USA with South Carolina as voted on by the league’s coaches. In addition, seniors Chris Wehan and Niko Hansen were selected to the 2016 Preseason All-Conference USA Team. Wehan was also named to the MAC Hermann Trophy preseason watch list for the second straight season.
Lobo Soccer: A Mile High and Louder Than …
The UNM Soccer Complex is building a reputation as one of the nation’s toughest venues to play in. In addition to being “a mile high and louder than…”, New Mexico has turned Albuquerque into one of the hottest tickets in college soccer. The Lobos have ranked in the top 15 in attendance nationally every season since the NCAA began keeping those statistics in 2001. It was first in attendance nationally in 2005 and ranked in the top 10 from 2009-2014. In 2015, the Lobos continued the streak among the nation’s attendance leaders hosting 16,918 fans (1,691 per game average) for 15th overall in the country.
International Pride
While the diversity of the team roster is obvious, many Lobos have some serious international credentials. Five have represented their country in top-level international competition: Patrick Khouri (Jamaica U20 World Cup qualifier, US U15), Aaron Herrera (US U20 – currently preparing for U20 World Cup qualification); Matthew Constant (US U17 National team and Canada U20 National team); Billy Jones (captained New Zealand U17 in select World Cup quailfying matches); Rafa Jimenez (Australian U20 World Cup quaifying team).
Excelling off the Pitch
Lobo Soccer has a rich tradition of academic success. During the Fishbein era (2002 to present), UNM has had 19 Academic All-Americans – more than any other men’s soccer program in the country among all divisions. In addition, the Lobos have garnered 92 Academic All-Conference honorees and 12 NSCAA Scholar All-Americans under Fishbein’s tutelage. As a team, the Lobos have earned the NSCAA Academic Team Award in 12 of the last 13 seasons.