Oct. 29, 2006
The ninth ranked-ranked University of New Mexico men’s soccer team scored a 3-1 win at San Jose State today. The Lobos netted three unanswered goals in the match for their first win of the season when allowing the opposition to score first. An own goal by the Spartans and strikes from junior Joey Vitagliano and sophomore Jack Smithson rounded out New Mexico’s scoring. With the win, the Lobos’ record improves to 11-3-3 and 6-1-1 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Action.
Coming into today’s contest, UNM was 0-3-1 when allowing their opponent to find the net first. Not only, did San Jose State strike first, the Spartans hit the back of the net early. SJSU midfielder Diego Soto played a long ball over the Lobos’ backline to forward Colby Moore. Moore beat keeper Mike Graczyk for the 1-0 lead just 3:06 into the match.
New Mexico wasn’t stunned by the score and came right back just 12 second later. After pushing the ball forward following SJSU’s goal, Lobo junior Mike Porter sent a cross into the box that was headed in the net by a Spartan defender for an own goal and a 1-1 score.
UNM would score again with 20 minutes left in the opening period. Porter sent another perfect cross into the box that Vitagliano volleyed past San Jose State keeper Richard Mann for the 2-1 lead. It was Vitagliano’s third goal of the season, all three of which have been game-winners.
The first half ended with UNM leading 2-1, but a pair of Lobo starters suffered injuries that kept them out of the rest of the match. Freshman Simon Ejdemyr broke his nose in the ninth minute of play and did not return while sophomore Brandon Barklage sustained a groin injury that limited him to just 37 minutes in the match. UNM was already down two starters before the match started with freshman Zach Tierney out with a concussion he suffered last weekend and senior Lars Loeseth out for the last two weeks attending to a family illness.
Despite the physical play, UNM continued to control the game, adding another score just over 10 minutes into the second period. The Lobos were awarded a free-kick outside of the box following a Spartan foul. Smithson stepped up and took the shot from 25 yards out in the middle. His attempt beat the SJSU defense for his second goal of the season and a 3-1 lead.
New Mexico controlled the remainder of the match with Graczyk making five saves overall to preserve the win. San Jose State actually outshot UNM 14-11, marking just the fifth time this season New Mexico has allowed more shots than it has taken. The Lobos did have more quality chances, putting nine shots-on-goal to the Spartans’ six. With the loss, San Jose State fell to 7-9-1 and 4-5-0 in MPSF play.
New Mexico returns home next weekend for the final home games of the 2006 regular season. UNM faces Air Force (4-11-1, 3-5-0 MPSF) on Friday, Nov. 3, at 7:00 p.m. (M.S.T.) at the UNM Soccer Complex. New Mexico will then face league-leading and 21st -ranked Denver (11-3-2-, 6-0-1 MPSF) on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 1:00 p.m. Sunday’s match with the Pioneers is Senior Day, honoring Lobo seniors Andrew Boyens and Lars Loeseth. New Mexico needs to win both matches this weekend to have a chance to win the MPSF title and the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.