Aug. 28, 2008
Game Notes
LMU Fall Classic Central
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by Matt Cherrin – GoLobos.com Men’s Soccer Writer
With the start of the season just around the corner, the 19th ranked Lobo men’s soccer team hopped a plane to sunny LA this morning for the 2008 opener. UNM will take on Loyola Marymount in its first game of the season in the opening day of the LMU Fall Classic on Friday, Aug. 29. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m. (M.D.T.) following the neutral match between San Diego and No. 6 Saint Louis. This is fourth time in six years coach Jeremy Fishbein’s club has opened the season with a true road game.
Even though the Lobos opened last season with a loss to Loyola Marymount at the UNM Soccer Complex, Fishbein said that his team is not using revenge as a motivational tool. “You try to eliminate the word revenge by focusing on our challenge, which is to play up to our potential every game,” Fishbein said. “We don’t look to be motivated by revenge because our guys are already motivated enough.”
LMU scored a 1-0 win over the Lobos at the UNM Soccer Complex on Sept. 7 last season. New Mexico outshot the Lions 21-10 and had 10 corners to LMU’s one, but all of that was thrown out the window when Brad Stisser connected on a free-kick in the ninth minute for the only score of the game.
The Loyola Marymount game will broadcast live on the Internet on LMULions.com. LMU Fall Classic Central.
Juniors Zach Tierney and Steven Brown came off the field early in the exhibition game against Notre Dame last week, but both are expected to start this weekend. Brown suffered a deep thigh bruise while Tierney was helped off the field with a knee injury in the Lobos’ 2-1 double overtime loss to the third-ranked Irish. “Brown and Tierney had a good week and I expect them to be ready to play,” stated Fishbein.
Junior Euan Holden sat out the Notre Dame with some tendonitis, but he is also ready to play. “With Brown coming out having only played 10 minutes and Holden not playing at all against Notre Dame, we were without two of our best attacking players. Holden could have played, but since it was an exhibition, we felt it was best to hold him out. He is ready to go and will be in the mix this weekend.”
One of the Lobos’ biggest questions on the year was the keeper position. Fishbein seems to have his answer in sophomore Eric Staver…for now. He is slated to fill the spot between the pipes this weekend, but sophomore Justin Fite will also make the trip and can step in if needed. “Right now the job is Staver’s,” added Fishbein. “But that could change for any game. They both are playing really well and Fite is still working hard. He can fill the role anytime he is needed.”
Though the Lobos came out of a strenuous double overtime loss to Notre Dame, Fishbein said his team is looking confident. “Our guys responded really well to the loss. We looked at the video and analyzed the game, and I think we showed our potential and how dynamic we can be. We need to mix-it-up a bit and be a little more aggressive on the attack at times, but this is as cohesive of a group as we have ever had.”
The Lobos look to end one of their longest winless streaks against an opponent when they play Sunday against San Diego at 12:30 p.m. (M.D.T). In five games against USD, the Lobos post a record of 0-4-1.
New Mexico returns to the UNM Soccer Complex for the 2008 home opener on Friday, Sept. 5 against Michigan State. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. (M.D.T.). All of the action can be followed live online via GameTracker and All Access on GoLobos.com
Matt Cherrin is a senior in UNM’s Department of Communication & Journalism. He will be covering Lobo men’s soccer throughout the 2008 season.