EAST LANSING, Mich. – The New Mexico Lobos (2-5-0) took the Michigan State Spartans (4-1-2) to overtime after outshooting their Big Ten opponent and just missing on several goals before succumbing to a game-winning goal in the 98th minute. UNM finished the match with an edge in shots (16-11) and shots on goal (5-3) but couldn’t find the back of the net.
It was an evenly played match in the first 90 minutes. The Lobo backline insulated goalkeeper Cassie Ulrich from the Spartans’ shots, blocking or deflecting early chances. New Mexico was opportunistic in the Michigan State half of things, getting several shots off deflections and miscues. The closest call of those early chances came in the 15th minute when Claire Lynch intercepted an errant Spartan pass on the run and fired a left-footed driving shot that missed left.
The two teams went into halftime scoreless as the stat sheet reflected the level performances. Michigan State outshot the Lobos (6-4) with only one of their shots coming on goal. The Spartans were +4 in corner kicks in the first half as well.
The Lobos came out aggressive in the attack in the early going of the second half as well. Amber Edemann, as she did in the first half, had an early go for UNM, forcing a Gauruber save in the 48th minute. Five minutes later, Lindsey Guice came within inches of netting the match’s first goal.
Guice collected a Maddie Irwin pass midway into the Michigan State box. Her left-footed shot to the upper corner was saved by Gabrielle Gauruber. The rebounded rolled across the face of the open goal, inches from going in.
The two teams went to overtime despite UNM’s domination of possession in the second half, which saw the Lobos outshoot the Spartans nine to four.
New Mexico again controlled the game in the first six minutes of overtime. UNM nearly got on the board when Alyssa Coonrod’s corner kick found Edemann in the 96th minute who just missed high on a would-be game winner.
The Spartans attacked down the field in the 97th minute as Kristelle Yewah collected a pass in the UNM box. She went to the ground with the ball before leaving it for Allyson Krause who fired the game-winning goal to the far post from 15 yards away.
SCORING SUMMARY
Michigan State: (97:17) Allyson Krause (Kristelle Yewah and Kelli Timar assist)
QUOTES
“I think that was the best we have played all season. We put two good halves together and carried it over into overtime. Our possession was good as was our transition and defense. We didn’t give up much to them the whole match. I don’t like losing, but I was really pleased with our performance today.”
-Head coach Heather Dyche
“I thought both Lindsey (Guice) and Dylann (O’Connor) were outstanding today out on the wings. We brought them in on opposite sides, and I thought they were both really impactful in the second half. Dylann did it with services and Lindsey with shots, and they were both difference makers in the second half.”
-Head coach Heather Dyche
“If you take this game and our 90-minute mentality and tweak a couple of things before we start conference play, I am pretty pleased with where we are despite our record.”
-Head coach Heather Dyche
STARTERS
New Mexico: Ulrich (GK), Munoz, Chavez, Edemann, Coonrod, Jimenez, Irwin, Lynch, Blanksma, O’Connor and Olguin.
Michigan State: Gauruber (GK), Gjonaj, Fiebernitz, Kjellstrom, Oleksiak, Kovan, Evans, Kovacs, Krause, Cheslik and Warner.
NOTES
- Before Michigan State’s lone goal of the day, Cassie Ulrich had only conceded one goal in her last 274 minutes in goal for the Lobos.
- Freshman Amber Edemann finished with a team-high five shots (one on goal). She had taken a total of two shots in her first six matches this season.
- New Mexico is now 2-10-0 all-time versus Big Ten programs.
- Redshirt freshman Isabella Jimenez got the start at the defender, the first of her career.
NEXT UP
New Mexico will return to the Land of Enchantment for some time off before the annual Cherry-Silver Exhibition on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at the UNM Soccer Complex.