Sept. 24, 2006
The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team needed a wake-up call before coming from behind to defeat College of Charleston in the final game of the 2006 New Mexico Youth Soccer Association Classic hosted by Fairfield Inn-University today. Sophomore Brandon Barklage led UNM with a goal and two assists in its come-back win over Charleston.
New Mexico (5-2-2) looked like it was ready to jump all over the Cougars, getting on the board in the fourth minute. Junior keeper Mike Graczyk stopped a cross on his end of the field and drove a perfect kick to Barklage who was on the left side of Charleston’s half. Barklage headed a cross into the box, allowing sophomore Chris Wright to get off a weak shot towards the goal. Charleston’s keeper Corbin Waller misplayed the attempt and it softly rolled into the net for the 1-0 Lobo lead. It was Wright’s second goal of the year and the first assist for Graczyk and Barklage.
The Lobos played well for the remainder of the first half, only allowing one shot on goal by the Cougars. “We felt like we had the game in our hands, but we wanted to finish them off,” stated UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein. “When knew they could score a couple of goals and we would be in trouble and that is exactly what happened in the second half.”
College of Charleston came out pressuring the Lobos in the second frame. They evened the game in the 53rd minute when Darren Toby fired a bullet from the top of the box that Graczyk was unable to get a hand on. The ball dinged off the cross bar and into the net, tying the game at 1-1. A game-tying goal would usually wake up a team like the 18th-ranked Lobos, but that wasn’t the case today. It took a go ahead score in the 57th minute to make UNM realize that the Cougars came to play. Charleston’s Jeremy Gold caught Graczyk out of position on a free-kick from 35 yards out that was perfectly placed under the cross bar, giving the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
From that point on the Lobos finally decided to turn up the offensive pressure. UNM tied the game again in the 63rd minute when Barklage banged home his second goal of the year. UNM earned a throw-in from the right side that was taken by freshman Zach Tierney. He lofted the ball into the box that was flicked to the far post by senior Defnder Andrew Boyens. Barklage was patiently waiting on the right side to put home the cross from two yards out, knotting the game at 2-2. It was Barklage’s second goal of the year and the first assist for Boyens . Tierney was given his team-leading third assist on the play.
The game-winner came in the 74th minute after the Lobo pressure earned UNM its third corner of the game. Barklage sent a perfect cross into the box that the 6-4 Boyens put in the net for his first goal of the season. It was Barklage’s second helper of the game.
“This was a good confidence boost for us,” stated Barkalge. “To come from behind and score three goals should help us get it going on offense for the rest of the season.”
The Lobos begin Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action next weekend when they travel to Denver and Air Force. UNM faces the Pioneers in Denver on Friday, Sept. 29 at 4:00 p.m. (M.D.T.). The weekend concludes with a 1:00 p.m. (M.D.T.) match at Air Force on Sunday, Oct. 1. GameTracker will be available on www.GoLobos.com for the Air Force game only. UNM’s next home game is Friday, Oct. 6, against San Jose State at 7:00 p.m.
2006 NMYSA Classic All-Tournament Team
Andrew Boyens – New Mexico
Simon Ejdemyr – New Mexico
Stephen Brown – New Mexico
Jack Smithson – New Mexico
Aaron Clapham – St. Francis
Donnie Montoya – St. Francis
Brad Williams – St. Francis
Chris Sedlak – American
JP Kuykendall – American
Darren Toby – College of Charleston
Jeremy Gold – College of Charleston