Sept. 16, 2005
The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team edged out a 3-2 victory over Wisconsin (3-2-0) at the UNM Soccer Complex tonight in the second game of the TLC Plumbing and Utility Invite. The Lobos got a pair of goals from Hermann Trophy Candidate Jeff Rowland and the game winner from fellow senior Cody Hanna in a closely fought match with the Badgers.
Wisconsin struck first in the seventh minute when Victor Diaz collected a loose ball in the middle of the field. Diaz caught Lobo keeper Mike Graczyk off-line and sent a floater over his head and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. It marked the first time this season New Mexico had trailed in a game.
The Lobos immediately went on the counter attack, controlling play for the rest of the half. UNM out shot the Badgers 10-4 in the opening frame, but had a hard time getting quality looks with only two shots on-goal. The Lobos finally delivered in the 26th minute when senior Matt Wootton sent in a cross from the left side. Rowland was perfectly positioned in front of the net and tapped a shot by UW keeper Jake Settle. The score remained knotted at 1-1 going into halftime.
The second half started the way the first ended with the Lobos controlling play on the offensive side of the field. UNM went up 2-1 on another goal from Rowland in the 51st minute. This time sophomore Joey Vitagliano made a run down the middle of the defense. He passed the ball off to Rowland on the right side who one-timed a shot into the back of the net. The goal was Rowland’s seventh of the season and the 36th of his career. He moves past David Robertson (1984-86) for sole possession of third place on UNM’s all-time list.
The Lobos were ready to break the game open, but they couldn’t keep a determined Badger squad from making another run. Wisconsin evened the score in the 57th minute after hitting the cross bar on a header by Erik Ortega. The Lobos were unable to successfully clear the ball and Reid Johnson fired a shot from inside the box that found the back of the net and evened the score a 2-2.
Wisconsin’s two goals are the most UNM has allowed at home since dropping a 2-0 match to UNLV on October 18, 2003. That game was also the last time New Mexico had lost at home, a streak of 11 matches. Hanna, a senior from Albuquerque, wasn’t ready to see that streak end and he didn’t want to disappoint the 4,106 fans in attendance. Hanna collected a loose ball in the middle of the field and blasted a shot past Settle that hit the left post and sent the third largest crowd in UNM Soccer Complex history into a frenzy. The ball bounced back to the right and in the side of the net, giving New Mexico a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.
It once again looked like UNM was going to blow it open after Wootton was taken down in the box and the Lobos were awarded a penalty kick in the 65th minute. However, Settle made a great save on Rowland’s attempt, keeping the score at 3-2.
Graczyk also made a couple of game saving redirects late in the game. With under a minute to play, he dove to his right and turned away what could have been the tying goal. In the end, UW couldn’t get the equalizing score and the Lobos improved to 5-0-0 on the year.
UNM will continue the TLC Plumbing and Utility Invite on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 1:00 p.m. (M.D.T.) against James Madison (3-1-1). The Dukes defeated Butler (5-1-0) earlier in the evening by a score of 2-0. JMU’s Kurt Morsink and Jon Britton both scored goals in the win. Butler will take on Wisconsin in the early game on Sunday, beginning at 11:00 a.m. (M.D.T.).