Nov. 13, 2008
What: Lobos vs. Air Force
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Where: UNM Soccer Complex
Up Next: Lobos vs. Denver, 1 p.m. Sunday, UNM Soccer Complex
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
The back door to the NCAA Tournament, an at-large bid, is not the entry Lobo coach Jeremy Fishbein and his University of New Mexico men’s soccer team prefer to be knocking on.
There are easier ways to get into the postseason. The Lobos had used the front door for four consecutive seasons by winning the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title and snatching the automatic NCAA bid that comes with the crown.
The Lobos will not be wearing a crown in 2008 as that honor, and that NCAA bid, goes to Denver. The Lobos are hoping they can win out their 2008 season and that the NCAA Selection Committee will toss an at-large bid in UNM’s direction.
But even if the Lobos can push that back door open, there are no guarantees. Wins over Air Force on Friday and Denver on Sunday, will not necessarily bring at at-large bid. It only places the Lobos on the bubble. It only gives them some hope.
“The only chance we have to get in is to win both of these games,” said Fishbein of his team’s NCAA hopes. “Not much else needs to be said in terms of motivation.”
“There is still a lot up in the air. But it’s an opportunity and that’s all you can ask for. Two games left and we still have a chance and our guys have to grab that opportunity.”
The Lobos’ coach acknowledges that two more wins won’t make UNM a lock for an at-large bid, but he does like his team’s chances. After all, Fishbein has built up UNM’s respect factor on both a regional and national scale.
UNM has been consistently ranked in the Top 30 for the past five seasons, including this year. UNM has advanced to the second round of NCAA play in five of the past seven seasons. They have the nation’s highest winning percentage from 2004 through 2007.
Heck, in 2005 the Lobos were the national runners-up. The Lobos are the kind of team you want to see in the NCAA Tournament, despite the 9-6-2 record they take into Friday’s game with Air Force.
Fishbein said UNM’s recent success and reputation, “helps you, if you’re on the bubble and that’s where we are; on the bubble.”
Fishbein said UNM has talked to some members of the selection committee and he believes two wins will pluck UNM off the bubble and into the postseason.
But there are other variables to be considered. The most important one might be upsets in conference tournaments where bubble teams steal the automatic berths and regular-season champions slide down to grab those precious at-large berths.
Fishbein said the possibility of postseason play for his Lobos and the nature of the college athlete should make UNM’s final two home games a couple of intense battles.
The Lobos aren’t too happy to see Denver wearing the MPSF crown and Denver would love to sweep the Lobos in 2008. And Fishbein says Air Force won’t be rolling over on Friday.
“College kids, the good ones, come out to play no matter what. It’s amazing,” said Fishbein. “They (Air Force) are going to put it out there.”
As Fishbein enters UNM’s final two regular-season games, he admits frustration with the 2008 season.
“It’s been an up and down season. It’s been highs and lows,” he said. “Sometimes individual goals get in the way of team goals. The greatest power you have as a player is how you effect the group. We got to remember that, as a team. The key to successful teams is teamwork and putting team goals first and not being individuals.”
Soccer is a cruel sport where luck, bad bounces and good bounces often are as important in determining the outcome as is skill and teamwork.
But come Friday and Sunday, the Lobos should be fused into a common goal that is all team: Win two games, get off the bubble, get into the NCAA Tournament.
Editor’s note: Richard Stevens is a former Associate Sports Editor and sports columnist for The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net. Previous articles are available at The Richard Stevens Corner.