September 16, 2003
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
UPCOMING GAMES: The Lobos return home for the Crescent Financial Solutions Invitational this weekend. No. 22 New Mexico (2-3-1) faces off against UC Irvine (2-3-0) on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. (M.D.T.). Friday night’s match is “Stuff the Stadium” and all tickets for the game are one dollar. Sunday the Lobos match up against SW Missouri State (2-2-0) at 12:00 p.m. (M.D.T.). Western Illinois (3-1-0) is the fourth team in this weekend’s invitational. WIU faces SW Missouri State on Friday at 5:00 p.m. (M.D.T.) and UC Irvine on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (M.D.T.).
UC Irvine Anteaters (2-3-0)
Location: Irvine, California
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: George Kuntz (Arizona St. ’87)
Record at UC Irvine: 64-78-23 (9th year)
Career Record: 124-105-22 (14th year)
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4
2002 Record: 8-8-4
2002 Conference Record: 3-4-3 (4th)
UNM vs. UC Irvine: 4-5-0
Last Time: UCI won 1-0 (10/1/02) at home
Last UNM Win: 3-1 (10/31/99) at home
Top Goal Scorer: Brad Evans, Sean Iliff, Anthony Vizcarra (1)
Top Assists: Brad Evans, Lorne Howlett (1)
Top Goalie: Ryan Mathy (1.54 g.a.a.)
Notes: UC Irvine is on a three game losing streak after dropping matches to Loyola Marymount (1-4) and Michigan State (0-2) at home last weekend. Irvine handed the Lobos their first loss last season with a 1-0 win at home on October 1, 2002.
Web Site: www.athletics.uci.edu
Southwest Missouri State (2-2-0)
Location: Springfield, Mo.
Conference: Missouri Valley
Head Coach: Jon Leamy (Roanoke ’82)
Record at SMS: 124-82-1 (11th year)
Career Record: same
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
2002 Record: 9-11-0
2002 Conference Record: 6-3-0 (3rd)
UNM vs. SMS: 2-1-0
Last Time: UNM won 1-0 (9-22-02) at Home
Top Goal Scorer: Jamal Sutton, Doug Lascody (2)
Top Assists: Jamal Sutton, Jern Meyn (2)
Top Goalie: Matt Pickens (1.43 g.a.a.)
Notes: SMS is on a two-game skid after falling to Portland (0-2) and UNLV (2-3) at home last weekend. Last season the Lobos defeated SMS, 1-0, when Junro Narita connected on a direct kick in the 17th minute of play.
Web Site: www.smsbears.net
Lobos In the Rankings: The Lobos are 22nd in Soccer America’s Top-25 for the week of September 15, 2003.
Ranking Reference: There are four major polls for Division I men’s soccer. A ranking references the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Top-25 unless the team is not in the NSCAA Top-25. It that case, the ranking refers to the highest ranking from one of other three polls.
Previous Rankings: The Lobos have only been ranked in three previous season. In 1992, UNM climbed as high as No. 17 in the Soccer America Poll for the week of October 20, 1992. In 1997 the Lobos earned their highest ranking in any poll when they reached No. 15 in the Soccer America Top-20 for the week of November 3, 1997. Last season, the Lobos were ranked as high as No. 22 in the NSCAA Top-25 and CollegeSoccerNews.com Top-30.
All-Tournament Team: Sophomores Lance Watson and Matt Wootton were named to the Mi Cocina Classic All-Tournament team at SMU last weekend. Watson scored a goal against Tulsa and Wootton played solid defense in both games.
MPSF Rankings: Sophomore Lance Watson ranks fourth in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation scoring with eight points and third in goals with four.
Three Tough Losses: The Lobos three losses this season have come against opponents that were ranked when they faced UNM, and all three losses have been by one goal. The Lobos lost to No. 18 UW Milwaukee (1-0 on 8/31), No. 21 Tulsa (3-2 on 9/12) and No. 9 SMU (1-0 on 9/13).
UNM’s Record Book: Junior goalkeeper Andrew Weber is moving up the Lobo record book in shutouts and saves. He currently is tied with Dana Rogge (’87) for fourth in shutouts with 13. He needs two more to tie Paul Branch (’85), Nate Busek (’93) and Greg Hess (’97) for the all-time mark of 15. Weber is also in third place in saves with 209 and needs 37 to tie Dana Rogge (’87) for second place at 246. Senior Stian Eriksen has taken 97 shots in his career and needs two more to tie Derek Barnes (’91) for eighth all-time at UNM.
Lobos at Home: The Lobos are currently on a 12-game undefeated streak at the UNM Soccer Complex. The last time UNM lost at home was a 4-1 defeat to UNLV on November 5, 2001. New Mexico is 11-0-1 during that stretch. UNM is also going for its 40th win at the UNM Soccer Complex on Friday against UC Irvine. The Lobos have a 39-24-4 (.604) mark in just over seven seasons in the UNM Soccer Complex.