COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Effort and attitude helped the University of New Mexico women’s soccer team gain a halftime lead on the preseason No. 15 team in the nation.
Inexperience cost the youthful Lobos a chance to secure the victory.
Marquette scored a pair of goals in a 108-second span early in the second half – one on what looked to be an attempted cross that took a fortunate bend toward the Lobo goal – to erase an early deficit and defeat UNM 2-1 on Friday afternoon at Washburn Field.
UNM took the lead with just 10:37 gone in the first half when the Lobos cleared a ball to a streaking Dylann O’Connor, who dribbled downfield and hit a shot from the left side of the box.
Trailing 1-0 at the half, Marquette scored the equalizer at the 51:32 mark. After a Lobo foul gave the Golden Eagles (2-3) a centered direct kick just outside the box. Jacie Jermier got the ball past UNM goalkeeper in the left corner.
On the next possession, Marquette’s Eli Beard chased down on the left side and hit a centering shot. But the ball broke toward the goal in midair and curled in on the right side of the net to give the Golden Eagles a 2-1 lead at the 53:20 mark.
UNM had a final chance with 16 seconds left on a free kick, but Amanda Engle made the save to preserve the victory for Marquette.
Scoring Summary
New Mexico: (10:37) Dylann O’Connor (unassisted)
Marquette: (51:32) Jacie Jermier (direct kick); (53:20) Eli Beard, bending shot from 20 yards, left side
Lineups
New Mexico: Ulrich (GK), O’Connor, Guice, Viola, Bruciaga, Leyba, Chavez, Webster, Irwin, Ferrier, Olguin
Marquette: Engel (GK), Jermier, Profitt, Powell, Lynch, Heffron, Handwork, Bartels, Holland, Fritzlen, Luba
Quotable
“For the first game, I thought we did some really good things,” UNM coach Kit Vela said. “We had some youthful mistakes that cost us in the second half. But our effort and attitude were outstanding, and that’s the one thing we can control.”
“I thought we were the better team early. When we got the lead, we weren’t as aggressive. We came out the second half maybe not wanting to lose. That’s something that has to come with experience.”
“It was a great play to get the ball to Dylann, and she made a great play on the goal.” – UNM coach Kit Vela
Notes
– Of the 19 players UNM had available for the game, 17 played, including four true freshmen.
– O’Connor’s goal was her sixth career goal; she scored four last season.
– Fouls were Marquette 7, New Mexico 2·
Next up
The Lobos face Weber State on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in their second game of the Colorado College Invitational, while new Mountain West foe Colorado College takes on Marquette at 1 p.m. The Lobos’ home opener is next Friday against Loyola-Chicago at 7 p.m.