Aug. 28, 2005
Up Next: The Lobos open up their 2005 home season with an exhibition match against Division II power Fort Lewis. The Skyhawks are coming off an appearance in the 2004 NCAA regional finals and are ranked 16th in the preseason DII top-25. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. (M.S.T.) at the UNM Soccer Complex. Fort Lewis won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title last season, posting a 15-4-2 record, and they return all 11 starters. Since this is an exhibition match, no stats will count, nor will the game count against either teams’ record. Lobo head coach Jeremy Fishbein was the head coach at FLC from 1992-98, logging a 74-47-7 record and four conference titles in seven seasons in Durango.
Fort Lewis has already started its regular season play with a 5-1 win over Northeastern State University on Thursday. The Skyhawks travel to Oral Roberts on Saturday before coming to UNM.
For the third consecutive season the Lobos begin with a preseason national ranking. UNM is currently ranked 6th in the CollegeSoccerNews.com top-30 and 8th in the NSCAA top-25. It is the highest preseason ranking for the Lobos in school history.
No. 16 fort lewis Skyhawks (1-0-0)
Location: Durango, Colo.
Conference: RMAC
Head Coach: Jeremy Gunn (CS Bakersfield `93)
Record at Fort Lewis: 80-33-15 (7th year)
Career Record: same
Starters Returning/Lost: 11/0
2004 Record: 15-4-2 (NCAA Reg. Finalist)
2004 Conference Record: 9-1-2 (1st)
UNM vs. Fort Lewis: 5-1-0
Last Time: UNM won 1-0 (8-28-04) at Home (Ex.)
Top Returning Goal Scorer: John Cunliffe (14)
Top Returning Assists: John Cunliffe (17)
Top Returning Goalie: Nick Clark (0.77 gaa in 21 games)
Notes: This is an exhibition match that will not count towards either team’s overall records. The stats from this game will not count toward’s the team’s or any individual’s overall stats.
Web Site: www.fortlewis.edu
Recapping Notre Dame: The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team kicked off the 2005 exhibition season with a 1-1 draw at No. 16 Notre Dame. Senior Matt Wootton put New Mexico on top in the opening half, but the Irish got the equalizer in the second frame. Neithe r team could find the back of the net in two overtime periods, leaving the game tied at one goal each.
Rowland on the Hermann Watch List: Lobo senior forward was named to the 2005 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. Rowland is one of 25 players up for college soccer’s top award. He is coming off a record breaking season in 2004 after scoring 45 points on 19 goals and seven assists.
Lobos in the Rankings: New Mexico is a consensus top-10 pick in the preseason rankings. They are ranked sixth in the CollegeSoccerNews.com Top-30 and eighth in the Soccer America Magazine Top-25.
Keeping the Momentum: The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team is coming off one of the most successful campaigns in school history. The Lobos finished the 2004 regular season ranked No. 1 in Soccer America’s Top-25, posted a 17-1-2 record and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time. UNM has not lost a match since falling to Denver 2-1, on October 17, 2004, a span of nine games.
Reloaded for 2005: New Mexico returns seven starters and 13 letterwinners from last season, including All-American forward Jeff Rowland. Rowland ranked third in the NCAA in goals-per-game (0.95) and points-per-game (2.25) last season. He set a school record with 45 points on 19 goals and seven assists, while earning MPSF co-Player of the Year honors. Rowland shared the MPSF co-Player of the Year honors with teammate Andrew Boyens who is returning for his junior season at UNM. Boyens led a stellar Lobo defense that posted 11 shutouts and a 0.58 goals-against-average. Boyens also earned the MPSF’s Newcomer of the Year honors last year.
Fishbein Earns National coach of the Year: Soccer America Magazine recognized Lobo head coach Jeremy Fishbein as the 2004 National Coach of the Year. It is the first such award given to a UNM men’s soccer head coach.
Rowland Named Preseason All-American: Jeff Rowland garnered preseason All-American honors from both CollegeSoccerNews.com and Soccer America Magazine prior to the 2005 season.
Barklage a Freshman to Watch: Freshman Brandon Barklage was named one of the Top-100 Freshmen to Watch by CollegeSoccerNew.com. The 5-11, midfielder/forward from St. Louis, Mo., saw 62 minutes of action off the bench against Notre Dame.