Oct. 5, 2009
Green Snags Three Weekly Honors
Complete Release in PDF Format 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.–The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team continues its four-game homestand this week, taking on UC-Irvine at 7 p.m. in a rare Wednesday night matchup at the UNM Soccer Complex. The game will be New Mexico’s last against a non-conference opponent, as they open up conference play against Seattle at home on Oct. 16. GameTracker, live video, and an audio broadcast will accompany the game on GoLobos.com.
UP NEXT:
UC-Irvine dropped to 6-4-0 following a 2-1 double overtime loss to UC-Davis at home in Big West Conference play last Wednesday. Corey Attaway scored first, putting the Anteaters up 1-0 in the 11th minute, but UC-Davis answered back with a header off a free kick to equalize in the 29th minute. The score remained knotted 1-1 until the end of regulation and through one overtime period. A breaking Paul Marcoux spotted UC-Irvine’s keeper Victor Chinchilla off his line and was able to find the back of the net for UC Davis at the 105:45 mark. Chinchilla recorded zero saves in net, while keeper Ryan McCowan had five saves for UC-Davis.
A total of seven different Anteaters have reached the back of the net this season. Junior Amani Walker leads the team with four goals and two assists this season for 10 points. Walker has 20 shots on goal and 43 total shots. Walker earned multiple national awards on Sept. 7 after scoring the game-winning goals in UCI’s first two matches of the season, including one in double overtime at Santa Clara. He was named to the Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week, the College Soccer News National Team of the Week, and was named the Big West Player of the Week.
Junior Spencer Thompson has also been productive for UCI, trailing closely with eight points on three goals and two assists. Sophomore Andrew Fontein is currently the frontrunner in goal, having posted a 6-2-0 record in between the pipes in eight games started. Fontein has 26 saves on the season and has also notched four shutouts.
UC-Irvine was picked to finish second in the Big West Preseason Coaches’ Poll behind UC-Santa Barbara. The Anteaters return seven starters and 16 letterwinners from their 15-2-6 squad in 2008. UC-Irvine posted a mark of 5-1-4 in the Big West, finishing first in the conference and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. They lost 3-2 to St. John’s in the NCAA Round of 16.
UCI returns two All-Americans in senior midfielder/forward Irving Garcia and sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Fontein. Garcia was named to Soccer America’s MVP second team following the 2008 season, and was named to the publication’s Preseason All-America second team for the 2009 season. The Anteaters also return all-Big West first teamer Spencer Thompson and all-Big West honorable mention honoree Gray Bailey.
Though New Mexico and UC-Irvine have met several times in the past, they haven’t met recently. The all-time series is tied 5-5-0, and the Lobos beat the Anteaters 3-2 at the UNM Soccer Complex in the teams’ last meeting in September of 2003.
UC-IRVINE ANTEATERS
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Conference: Big West
Head Coach: George Kuntz (Arizona State `89)
Record at UC-Irvine: 126-124-43 (14)
Career Record: 260-187-56 (20)
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 16/8
2008 Record: 15-2-6
2008 Conference Record: 5-1-4 (1st)
NM vs. UC-Irvine: Series is tied 5-5-0
Last Time: UNM won 3-2 (9/19/03) in Albuquerque in the teams’ last meeting
Web Site: UCIrvineSports.com
RECAPPING LAST WEEKEND:
The Lobos notched a 2-0 shutout over Cal-State Northridge at home, due largely to an exceptional offensive performance by sophomore Michael Green. Green took the ball from Ryan Farquharson in the 10th minute and fired a rocket from 20 yards out to put the Lobos on the board first and ignite the crowd of 3,250 at the Complex. Farquharson employed one-touch passing to find Green, who deftly put the ball away from outside the box. Green’s strike stood up for the majority of the match, as keeper Justin Fite and the New Mexico defense collectively put together a tough performance to shut out the Matadors. Green beat Northridge keeper Michael Abalos one-on-one at 84:48 to give the Lobos some padding and set the final score at 2-0. Abalos came off his line and Green took the opportunity to beat him on the left side, taking a great angle that allowed him to net the ball in the far right corner. New Mexico had several quality shots on goal, creating numerous opportunities and utilizing six corner kicks to put continual pressure on the Cal-State defense.
FISHBEIN REACHES 200 CAREER VICTORIES:
Lobo head coach Jeremy Fishbein reached a career-wins milestone last week, notching his 200th career victory with Saturday night’s home win over Cal-State Northridge. Fishbein has posted a 200-94-25 overall record in 17 years, and he reached his 100th program victory at UNM with a Sept. 13 road win over No. 10 Notre Dame. Fishbein is in his 8th year at New Mexico, and currently holds a 104-34-15 record at UNM.
GREEN SNAGS THREE WEEKLY HONORS:
Sophomore midfielder Michael Green earned three weekly awards on Oct. 5 after scoring both goals, including the game-winner, in a 2-0 Saturday home win over Cal-State Northridge. Green was named to the Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News National Teams of the Week and was also selected as the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week. Green is currently tied for 5th on the MPSF individual stat charts for points with nine, and is tied for 4th in the category of assists with three. The MPSF nod is the first of his career and the second of the season for the Lobos. Green is the second Lobo since 2007 to win a national weekly award, and the national honors are the first of his career as a Lobo.
WELCOME BACK:
Thanks to an exceptionally tough early season schedule and a 6-3-0 start on the year, the Lobos were ranked 24th in the Soccer Times National Men’s Soccer Rankings during the week of September 28th-October 4. This is the first time the Lobos have been ranked in Soccer Times since September of the 2008 season.
GREEN MOVES UP THE CHARTS:
Michael Green has quickly established himself as a scoring threat in the New Mexico attack. His two goals against Cal-State Northridge put him a close second in scoring behind senior Justin Davis on the Lobo individual stat charts. Green has nine points on three goals and three assists this season, while Davis has ten points on four goals and two assists. Green currently leads the Lobos in the assists. Green was an impact player for the Lobos last season as a true freshman, playing in all 19 matches and starting eight. He has started all but two matches for the Lobos in 2009.
LOBOS SIT ATOP MPSF CHARTS IN SHOTS, GAA:
New Mexico currently leads the MPSF Conference Stat charts in shots per game, having posted 130 shots in nine games played for an average of 14.44 shots per game. The Lobos also lead the MPSF in goals-against-average, sitting atop the category with a GAA of 1.0.
NEW MEXICO AGAINST THE TOP-25:
New Mexico’s win over No. 4 Cal marked the team’s third win over Top-25 teams, and their second victory over Top-10 programs this season. The Lobos’ 6-3-0 mark includes a 3-0 win over No. 21 Saint Louis, a 2-1 (OT) win over No. 10 Notre Dame, and the 2-1 win over No. 4 Cal. The Lobos also notched all three wins on the road, defeating Saint Louis and Notre Dame on their home turf. The California win came at a neutral site in Stanford, Calif.
URBANY SCORES THIRD CAREER GOAL, FARQUHARSON SECOND:
Both goals in the Lobos’ victory over No. 4 Cal on Sept. 25 came from third-year Lobos who consistently work hard in the midfield, but don’t necessarily get a lot of chances to score goals. Junior James Urbany’s strike was his second of the season and second in a row — he also found the back of the net in New Mexico’s 3-0 victory over Gonzaga on Sept. 20. Urbany has three career goals. Junior Ryan Farquharson’s goal was his first of the season and the second of his career.
LOBOS SPREAD OUT THE SCORING:
As New Mexico has settled into their season, the team has started to spread out the scoring. Though senior forward Justin Davis leads the team with ten points on four goals and two assists, his numbers are closely trailed by several Lobos. Sophomore Michael Green has three goals and three assists for nine points. Senior Stephen Brown has six points on two goals and two assists, while junior James Urbany has five points on two goals and one assist. Senior Simon Ejdemyr has two goals and four points. Junior Ryan Farquharson, senior P.J. Wilson, and freshman Patrick Pacheco round out the scoring with one goal apiece.
PACHECO, RODRIGUEZ GET FIRST STARTS:
New Mexico freshmen Patrick Pacheco and Victor Rodriguez each got their first starts as Lobos in New Mexico’s matchup against Gonzaga on Sept. 20. Pacheco, a Taos, N.M. native, made the best of his opportunity, banging in the winning goal in New Mexico’s 3-0 romp over Gonzaga. Goalkeper Rodriguez started in between the pipes for the Lobos, picking up the win while posting three impressive saves in just over 68 minutes. Rodriguez captained Las Cruces High to a 5A State Championship.
FOUR LOBOS NAMED TO ALL-TOURNEY TEAM:
Sophomore Michael Green was named the Offensive MVP of the TLC Plumbing Nike Invite, Sept. 18-20, while Lobo David Murphy took MVP honors on the defensive end. Junior Ryan Farquharson and sophomore Lance Rozeboom joined them on the all-tournament team. New Mexico hosted the tournament and won it outright, posting a 2-0-0 record on the weekend.
EJDEMYR ON PENALTY KICKS:
Strong-footed Lobo senior Simon Ejdemyr is currently 8-8 on career penalty kicks. Ejdemyr scored the Lobos’ first goal of the 2009 season on a penalty kick at Robert R. Hermann Stadium against No. 21 Saint Louis, then broke a 1-1 tie with a PK to lift New Mexico to a 2-1 win over UC Davis at home on Sept. 18. Ejdemyr also scored the Lobos’ last goal of the 2008 season on a penalty kick, the lone strike in New Mexico’s 1-0 win over No. 25 Denver at home on Nov. 16.
LOBOS ON THE MPSF STAT CHARTS:
Justin Davis is currently second on the MPSF individual stat charts for shots per game with an average of 3.89. Simon Ejdemyr is still tied for first in game-winning goals — he and three other players have two game-winners in nine games played for an average of 0.22. Davis is fourth in the category of points with ten, while Michael Green is tied for fifth with five points. Davis is tied for fourth in the category of goals with four. Green is tied for sixth in assists with three.
DAVIS RACKS UP WEEKLY HONORS:
After scoring both goals in a 2-1 overtime win over No. 10 Notre Dame on their home field, New Mexico senior forward Justin Davis was named to the Soccer America National Team of the Week on Sept. 15. He combined for seven points on three goals and one assist Sept. 11-13 at the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament hosted by Notre Dame. Davis was named Offensive MVP and was an all-tournament honoree. He nailed the game-tying and winning goals to lead the way for the Lobos in the resounding win over the Fighting Irish on Sept. 13. Davis added a goal and an assist in a narrow 3-2 loss to No. 12 Indiana on Sept. 11. The honor was the second weekly award the Litchfield Park, Ariz. native earned in two days — he was also named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week on Sept. 14. Davis’s MPSF nod is the third of his career and the first of the season for the Lobos. Davis was the first Lobo since 2007 to win a national weekly award.
MIKE BERTICELLI ALL-TOURNEY:
Junior Ryan Farquharson and sophomore Lance Rozeboom joined senior Justin Davis on the Mike Berticelli Memorial All-Tournament Team Sept. 11-13. The Lobos finished 2nd behind No. 12 Indiana in tournament final standings after winning a tiebreaker with the host team, No. 10 Notre Dame, based on head-to-head play.
DAVIS CLIMBS THE ALL-TIME LISTS:
Lobo senior Justin Davis has cracked three Lobo All-Time lists. The senior forward is now seventh all-time in career shots at New Mexico with 143. He’s in a three-way tie for ninth in the assist category with 14, and is tied for tenth in points with 48. His 17 career goals put him two away from the top ten.
LOBOS TOUGH AT HOME UNDER FISHBEIN:
The Lobo men’s soccer team has posted a 29-2-1 mark in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action at the UNM Soccer Complex under head coach Jeremy Fishbein. The only two MPSF 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. New Mexico carries a 57-8-5 mark overall in eight years under Fishbein at the UNM Soccer Complex. The Lobos capped off the 2008 season with a 1-0 win over No. 25 Denver at home.
NEW MEXICO IS STRONG WITH A LEAD:
The Lobos are tough to beat when scoring first or leading at the half. In head coach Jeremy Fishbein’s tenure, New Mexico is 87-6-9 when finding the back of the net first and 56-2-4 when holding a halftime lead. The last time the Lobos surrendered a lead and lost the match was against No. 12 Indiana in Notre Dame, Ind. in a 3-2 loss to the Hoosiers this season.
UNM HAS WON SIX LEAGUE TITLES IN EIGHT YEARS:
The Lobos have dominated Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings in recent years, winning six league titles out of the last eight. All of UNM’s league trophies have come since the 2001 season. The Lobos are 48-10-6 in MPSF action in seven seasons under current head coach Jeremy Fishbein.
TWO ALL-REGION, FOUR ALL-MPSF AND SEVEN STARTERS RETURN:
The Lobos return seven starters and 14 lettermen for the 2009 campaign. Highlighting this list is senior forward Jusin Davis and senior defender Simon Ejdemyr, who were first-team All-MPSF selections in 2008. Both Davis and Ejdemyr were also members of the All-Far West Region second and third teams, respectively. Davis led the Lobos and the MPSF in scoring last season with seven goals and six assists for 20 points, while Ejdemyr scored five goals and notched one assist as a defender. Juniors Ryan Farquharson and Michael Reed return from the All-MPSF squad, while seniors Stephen Brown and P.J. Wilson and sophomore Michael Green are all returning starters.
FIREPOWER RETURNS:
The Lobos will have 78 percent of their goals scored returning from last season, including MPSF leading scorer Jusin Davis and sharp-shooting Simon Ejdemyr, who went 5-5 on penalty kicks last season. Senior P.J. Wilson had three goals on the season in 2008, while senior Stephen Brown and sophomore Michael Green scored two apiece.
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN STREAK CONTINUES:
Senior Simon Ejdemyr was named an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American selection in 2008, earning first-team honors. New Mexico is the only team in the country to have at least one Academic All-American award-winner every year since 2003.
LOBOS DOMINATE IN CLASSROOM:
The Lobos were just as aggressive in the classroom as they were on the field in 2008. As a team, New Mexico earned its sixth straight National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award. The award is given to teams who achieve a 3.0 grade point average for the academic year. The Lobos return three student-athletes from last year’s Academic All-MPSF list in senior Simon Ejdemyr and juniors Michael Reed and James Urbany. This marks the second Academic All-MPSF award for Ejdemyr and Reed, and the first for Urbany. Ejdemyr was also selected to the Academic Far West All-Region team.
NEW MEXICO 12TH IN NCAA HOME ATTENDANCE:
UNM averaged 1,632 fans per game at the UNM Soccer Complex in the 2008 season. A total of 16,322 spun the turnstiles in ten home games last year, ranking 12th in average attendance in the NCAA. The Lobos were 8-2-0 in the 10 home games in 2008. UNM has ranked in the Top-15 in attendance each year since the 2001 season. The Lobos 3,629 average in 2005 is still a single-season NCAA record for average per game in a season.
FARMING LOCAL TALENT:
Three New Mexico freshmen join the Lobo ranks this season, raising the number of local players on the 2009 UNM roster to six. Midfielder Patrick Pacheco of Taos HS was the school record holder for most goals in a season (32) and most assists (16) in a season, in addition to being the all-time leading goal scorer at THS with 67 goals and 36 assists in a four-year span. Pacheco was named second team all-state in 2007 and 2008. Midfielder Julian Roberts of Rio Rancho HS played on two district championship teams in 2007 and 2008, and was named first-team all-district in 2007. Forward/midfielder Lawrence Robledo of La Cueva HS was a member of the 2008 state championship team, was named second team all-state as a senior, and was an all-state honorable mention his junior year. Robledo was also the fifth-leading scorer in district 5A with 19 goals and 17 assists, totaling 55 points his senior year. Pacheco, Roberts, and Robledo team up with fellow New Mexicans Michael Reed (MF, Sandia HS), Dominique Romero (MF, La Cueva HS), and Victor Rodriguez (GK, Las Cruces HS) on this year’s squad.
2009 SPRING SEASON:
The Lobos played five matches in the 2009 Spring season, posting a mark of 2-0-2. April 4 – 2-1 win over Fort Lewis College (Wilson, Ejdemyr) April 4 – 1-0 over Colorado State Pueblo (Davis) April 11 – 0-0 tie at UC-Santa Barbara April 12 – 0-0 tie at Cal-Poly
UNM SOCCER COMPLEX:
2009 marks the 14th year the Lobos will take the pitch at the UNM Soccer Complex. The home field for the Lobos seats 6,200 fans and is equipped with endline bleachers, a new press box and a Daktronics video scoreboard. The Lobo men’s soccer locker room boasts state-of-the-art video equipment, personalized lockers, and a spacious area for use solely by the men’s soccer program.