Nov. 15, 2006
New Mexico – California Box Score in PDF Format
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The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team ended its season with a 3-1 loss at 13th-seeded Cal in the second round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament today. The Bears, the Pac-10 regular season champs, scored two-first half goals on their way to building a 3-0 lead that the Lobos were unable to overcome. New Mexico advanced to the second round for the third year in a row and the fifth time in the last six seasons, ending its season with a 14-4-3 record.
Cal’s Jacob Wilson struck less than two minutes into the match off a feed from Hector Jimenez. The score stunned a Lobo squad who had not allowed a goal in over three games. Despite the defensive letdown, UNM tried to come right back minutes later on a give-and-go between sophomore Chris Wright and junior Joey Vitagliano. Vitagliano fed Wright at the top of the box who touched the ball with his heel back to Vitagliano. Vitagliano took a shot from just inside the box but Bear keeper Justin Myers was there for the save.
The Bears (13-5-1) continued to apply pressure in the first frame, firing eight shots at the Lobo defense, striking again in the 32nd minute. This time Luke Sassano fed Javier Ayala-Hill who beat Lobo keeper Mike Graczyk for the 2-0 halftime lead. New Mexico put up three shots in the first period with Vitagliano’s attempt the only one on-goal. Cal’s offense generated six corners to New Mexico’s one.
UNM tried to get things going in the second period, but Cal came out of the locker room looking to add to its lead. The Bears put two shots on goal in the first minute of the period, forcing Graczyk to make two great saves. UNM had an excellent chance to cut into the lead in the 52nd minute. Sophomore Jack Smithson made a move down the left side and fed senior Lars Loeseth cutting to the middle. Loeseth played a cross to sophomore Brandon Barklage who was waiting on the far post. Barklage had open open net, but did not see a Cal defender over his left should who deflected the shot at the last moment, keeping the score at 2-0.
Cal put in an insurance goal in the 63rd minute when Ayala-Hill scored his second goal of the match off a feed from Andrew Jacobson. New Mexico tried to mount a comeback with junior Blake Danaher narrowing the lead to 3-1 in the 83rd minute. Danaher scored off a through ball from Vitagliano for his second goal of the season and the third assist for Vitagliano.
New Mexico’s defense, ranked sixth in the nation, gave up season-highs for goals (3), corners (9) and shots (17). UNM also allowed three goals for the first time since falling to San Jose State 3-2 on Oct. 16, 2005. Senior Hermann Trophy Candidate Andrew Boyens and Loeseth both finished their Lobo careers in excellent fashion. Boyens is a two-time Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Year while Loeseth will go for his fourth All-American honor as a member of the Lobo ski team this winter. A young team in 2006, New Mexico will return 10 of 11 starters in 2007, including 28 of its 31 goals in the year.
“That is certainly not the way we wanted to end the season,” stated UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein. “We lost to a good team today, but it does not diminish what we were able to accomplish this season. Winning our conference and getting back to the second round for the fifth time in six years is great for such a young team. We now have the experience to go with the talent to be a very dangerous team next season.”