ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team had its six-game home winning streak snapped as San Jose State scored two goals within 26 seconds of each other in the second half to defeat the Lobos 2-1 Sunday afternoon at UNM Soccer Complex.
The Lobos (9-5 overall, 4-2 Mountain West) with the loss drop from first to second in the conference, one point behind San Jose State (7-5-1, 4-1-1), tied with UNLV (4-2 in MW) and Air Force (3-0-3 in MW), a point ahead of San Diego State (3-2-1) and two points ahead of Boise State and Wyoming (both 3-2-1). That’s seven teams within three points with five games left and six teams qualifying for the Mountain West Tournament to play for the automatic NCAA postseason berth.
UNM and SJSU played a scoreless first half – though the Spartans outshot the Lobos, 11-3. UNM came out more energetic in the second half and was threatening in the first 10 minutes.
But SJSU took advantage of a corner kick in the 62nd minute as Yaritza Arista played the corner to Darriell Franklin near the top corner of the penalty area and she one-touched it into the top-left corner of the goal to give the Spartans the lead.
SJSU took advantage of a Lobo lull as just 26 seconds later on the break Jennifer Orozco found Jamilecxth Beccera on the left side and she put it through to take a 2-0 advantage.
“I thought we started to create better chances (to start the second half) and eliminated their dangerous chances,” UNM coach Heather Dyche said. “I thought a goal was coming. … But it was disheartening to see the first goal go in like that and not have them earn it. Then all year long we’ve talked about how you respond when a goal happens and to give up that second one was just brutal.”
The Lobos didn’t give up, however, and in the 82nd minute Jennifer Munoz crossed a ball in front of the goal and Claire Lynch was there to head it in for her team-best sixth goal of the season.
REPLAY | Munoz with a beautiful pass finds Lynch for the goal to cut the SJSU lead to 2-1. It’s Lynch’s sixth goal of the year. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/3fl58G5HVw
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 8, 2017
But it wouldn’t be enough as the Spartans held off the Lobos for the 2-1 victory.
“We just didn’t start out the way we wanted to,” Lynch said. “I know they had a lot of shots and opportunities and we were pretty luck to come out of the first half (tied). We came out hard in the second half … and we talk about big-five moments and one of them is when a goal is scored is when another can happen. We weren’t on and they took advantage of that and we dug ourselves a pretty big hole. I think we were definitely knocking on the door at the end of the half, but there just wasn’t enough time.”
Lynch paced the Lobos with four shots with Munoz, Eileen Zendejas and Emily Chavez also taking a shot apiece. Emily Johnson collected two saves at keeper for UNM and faced 16 shots.
UNM hits the road next weekend as it travels up I-25 for matchups with Air Force (6 p.m. Friday) and Colorado College (noon Sunday).