Nov. 22, 2005
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The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team overcame a two-goal deficit against Wisconsin-Milwaukee to advance on penalty-kicks to the third round of the NCAA Tournament at the UNM Soccer Complex tonight. Junior Lars Loeseth converted the fifth PK attempt for UNM, clinching the 5-3 edge in the shootout and sending the huge crowd into a frenzy.
Just like the late-arriving crowd, the Lobo defense didn’t show up for the fist six minutes as the Panthers took an early 2-0 lead. Troy Spielman scored off an assist from Dale Weiler in the fifth minute of action for a 1-0 advantage. UWM came right back less than two minutes later when Weiler took a free-kick from the right side that found Steve Sperl. Sperl sent a header high and to the far post that Lobo keeper Mike Graczyk couldn’t get a hand on. Fans coming into the stadium were shocked to see a 2-0 deficit on the scoreboard.
The crowd may have been stunned, but the Lobos regrouped and didn’t allow another shot-on-goal for the rest of the game. UNM got on the board in the 19th minute when freshman Brandon Barklage sent in a cross from the right side. Senior Hermann Trophy Candidate Jeff Rowland got off a shot that was stopped by the Panther defense, but junior Andrew Boyens blasted a shot from the top of the box that UWM keeper Grant Fernstrum couldn’t stop. It was Boyens sixth goal of the year and the fourth assist for Rowland. New Mexico controlled play for the rest of the first frame and went into the locker room down, 2-1.
UNM dominated the second period, outshooting the Panthers, 13-1, however, Fernstrum made a pair of great saves to keep the lead. The tying score didn’t come until the 80th minute when freshman David Gualdarama was fouled just outside of the box. Rowland fired a rocket through the wall that Farnstrum got a hand on, but the ball trickled across the line and tied the score 2-2. It was Rowland’s 14th goal of the season.
UNM again controlled play in both overtime periods, but couldn’t get the game-winner in the extra time. New Mexico went into penalty kicks for the second-straight NCAA Tournament game. The Lobos lost to Virginia on PKs, 6-5, in the third round in 2004. All four players made their attempts in the first two rounds of kicks, with Boyens and senior Brandon Moss converting for UNM and Neil Dombrowski and Weiler scoring for the Panthers. In the third round, senior Lance Watson scored for UNM. Graczyk made a great save to his left on Billy Meir’s attempt to give UNM a 3-2 advantage after three tries by both teams. In the fourth round, senior Lance Watson converted for UNM and Kyle Zeoni made his attempt for UWM. Loeseth, a two-time All-American on UNM’s ski team, stepped in for the fifth kick with a chance to clinch the game. Loeseth went low and right past Fernstrum and the UNM Soccer Complex record crowd of 4,552 fans went nuts.
Officially, the game goes in the record books as a tie and UNM moves its record to 15-1-3 on the year. Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s record goes to 14-4-5 on the year. The Lobos will host Cal-State Northridge (15-3-3) in the third round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 6:00 p.m. at the UNM Soccer Complex. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth and UNM students. Call (505) 925-LOBO for more information.