Oct. 29, 2008
Coach Fishbein Talks About the UNLV Game
Complete Release in PDF Format 
UP NEXT: The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team kicks off the second half of the 2008 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation season against UNLV (8-4-1, 3-2-0 MPSF) on Friday, Oct. 31, at the UNM Soccer Complex. The Lobos are currently 7-5-2 on the season and 3-2-0 in MPSF action.
There will be a Halloween theme on Friday at the UNM Soccer Complex. Fans are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes and candy will be given out during the match. There will also be a costume contest during the game.
Friday’s match will feature two of the top teams in the region. New Mexico and UNLV are tied at No. 9 in this week’s NSCAA Far West Region poll.
New Mexico will be looking for some pay-back following a 2-1 loss to UNLV in Las Vegas on Oct. 17. The Lobos were without two starters, junior Simon Ejdemyr and Euan Holden, in that contest, but both are expected to play on Friday.
UNLV and New Mexico are currently tied for second place in the MPSF race at 3-2-0. Denver leads the conference with a 5-0-0 mark in league play. The Pioneers are 7-5-1 overall. New Mexico will need to win its final five matches and have Denver drop another in order to capture its fifth consecutive MPSF title.
The Rebels boast two of the top scorers in the league in Lamar Neagle and Daniel Cruz. Neagle leads the MPSF with 14 points and seven goals. Cruz is second in the conference in scoring, posting 13 points on five goals and three assists.
The Lobos are looking to snap a two-game losing streak to UNLV. The Rebels are the only team in the MPSF to win consecutive matches against New Mexico since head coach Jeremy Fishbein took over the Lobos in 2002. They also won back-to-back matches over UNM from 2002 to 2003. The Rebels win in 2002 at the UNM Soccer Complex is still one of only two home losses New Mexico has suffered in MPSF play under Fishbein. New Mexico is 26-2-1 in MPSF play at the UNM Soccer Complex in Fishbein’s tenure.
GameTracker and a live video broadcast will be available on All-Access on GoLobos.com.
UNLV REBELS (8-4-1, 3-2-0 MPSF)
Location: Las Vegas, Calif.
Conference: MPSF
Head Coach: Mario Sanchez (Fresno State `99)
Record at UNLV: 16-29-5 (3rd)
Career Record: same
Starters Returning/Lost: 9/2
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 16/5
2007 Record: 7-10-2
2007 Conference Record: 3-7-0 (T5th)
UNM vs. UNLV: 15-9-0
Last Time: UNLV Won 2-1 (10-17-08) at Home
Top Goal Scorer: Lamar Neagle (7)
Top Assists: Ben Haugland (4)
Top Keeper: Hawk Mummey (0.97 g.a.a.)
Notes: UNLV has won two straight against UNM, including a 2-1 win in Las Vegas on Oct. 17. The Rebels are the only team in the MPSF to post back-to-back wins over New Mexico in head coach Jeremy Fishbein’s tenure. Fishbein currently holds a 7-4 mark against UNLV, his worst record against any of the MPSF schools. These two teams split their matches last season with the Lobos winning 2-1 at home and UNLV taking a 2-1 win in double-overtime in Las Vegas.
Web Site: www.UNLVRebels.com
RECAPPING LAST WEEKEND: Junior Justin Davis scored the game-winner in the 83rd minute against Stanford on Friday, Oct. 24, to give UNM a 2-1 win at home over the Cardinal. It was New Mexico’s only match of the week. Junior P.J. Wilson also scored in the match. He tied the game with a scissor-kick volley off assists from seniors Jack Smithson and Chris Wright in the 35th minute.
DAVIS NOW A TWO-TIME MPSF PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Junior Justin Davis was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week after netting the game-winner against Stanford on Oct. 24. It is his second weekly honor of the season. He also won the award after scoring in UNM’s 1-0 win over No. 2 Akron on Friday, Sept. 12.
LOBOS SHORTHANDED IN PREVIOUS UNLV LOSS: The Lobos played without two starters in their loss at UNLV on Oct. 17. Juniors Simon Ejdemyr and Euan Holden were both out of the game with injuries and illnesses. Holden was back in the lineup, starting at left-back against Stanford. Ejdemyr is expected to be back in action this week against the Rebels.
DAVIS AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS IN SCORING: Junior Justin Davis currently has 12 points on four goals and four assists in 2008. He is third in the MPSF in scoring with 1.00 points per game. His four assists also tied for third while his four goals is tied for fourth.
LOBO OFFENSE LEADING THE WAY: New Mexico’s 22 goals on the season leads the MPSF. UNM also leads the league in scoring with 65 points and assists with 21 on the year.
LOBOS TOUGH AT HOME UNDER FISHBEIN: The Lobo men’s soccer team has posted a 26-2-1 mark in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action at the UNM Soccer Complex under head coach Jeremy Fishbein. The only two losses at home under Fishbein came against UNLV (2-0 on Oct. 18, 2003) and San Jose State (3-2 (OT) on Oct. 16, 2005). UNM has won 85% of their matches overall in six years under Fishbein at the UNM Soccer Complex, posting a 51-7-5 mark in his tenure.
WRIGHT MOVING UP THE LOBOS’ ALL-TIME SCORING LIST: Lobo senior Chris Wright has amassed 57 points on 24 goals and nine assists in his career. He is currently in eighth place on UNM’s all-time scoring list. He needs four more points to pass Mario Picazo (1983-85) for seventh place. His 24 goals are currently fifth all-time at UNM.
IN THE RANKINGS: The Lobos are out of all of the rankings for the first time since the start of the 2004 season. It is the sixth week in a row New Mexico has not been ranked. UNM is No. 9 in the NSCAA Far West Region poll.
EJDEMYR NAMED MPSF PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Junior Simon Ejdemyr was named the MPSF co-Player of the Week after scoring goal and assist against Sacramento State on Oct. 12. It is the second time in Ejdemyr’s career he has earned Player of the Week honors.
LOBOS AGAINST THE TOP-5: New Mexico’s 1-0 win over No. 2 Akron was their fourth over a top-5 team in school history. UNM is 4-8-2 all-time against teams ranked in the top-5, including two wins and a tie against the last three that visited the UNM Soccer Complex. The Lobos are 2-3-2 in seven matches against the top-5 in head coach Jeremy Fishbein’s tenure.
Fishbein vs. The Top-5
No. 2 Akron – 1-0 win at home on Sept. 12, 2008
No. 1 SMU – 1-1 tie at home on Sept. 15, 2006
No. 1 Maryland – 0-1 loss in the College Cup finals in Cary, N.C., on Dec. 11, 2005
No. 4 Virginia – 1-1 tie in the NCAA 3rd round in Charlottesville, Va. on Nov. 27, 2004
No. 1 Indiana – 1-0 (2OT) win at home on Sept. 19, 2004
No. 1 UCLA – 0-1 loss at UCLA on Oct. 9, 2003
No. 1 SMU – 0-2 loss at SMU in the NCAA 2nd round on Nov. 25, 2001.
NEW MEXICO WAS STRONG WITH A LEAD: Coming into 2008, the Lobos were tough to beat when scoring first or leading at the half. In head coach Jeremy Fishbein’s first six years, New Mexico was 76-3-7 when finding the back of the net first and 48-1-2 when holding a halftime lead. This year, UNM has struggled in comparison, posting a 4-2-2 mark when scoring first and 3-1-2 record when leading at the half.
LOBOS BOAST THIRD HIGHEST WINNING % SINCE 2004: The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team boasts the second highest winning percentage in Division I over the last three years. The Lobos are 68-16-14 (.765) since the start of 2004. Here is a look at the top teams in the nation based on winning percentage since 2004.
Wake Forest – 82-18-11 – .788
Akron – 72-16-12 – .780
New Mexico – 68-17-14 – .758
Maryland – 75-21-10 – .755
Indiana – 69-19-17 – .738
UCSB – 74-24-11 – .729
SMU – 70-23-12 – .724
WRIGHT NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN: Lobo senior Chris Wright was named preseason 2nd Team All-American by CollegeSoccerNews.com. Wright, a 6-5 forward from Fair Oaks, Calif., was the 2007 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Year and the league’s leading scorer with 12 goals and four assists. Wright is listed as a midfielder on CollegeSoccerNews.com’s list, but will primarily fill the forward spot for the Lobos’ this season. His 24 career goals are currently fifth all time at UNM.