Lobo Faithful:
Short week for Lobo Soccer. We departed last Thursday for our second trip trip to Southern California and returned Monday early afternoon. Long trip and challenging matches. Friday night we faced our long time nemesis, the Matadors of Cal State Northridge and the #19 ranked LMU Lions were our foe on Sunday. 4 of our 5 opponents have been ranked in the national “Top 20” when we faced them. I like the schedule! I can’t say enough about our team; the camaraderie, the drive, the work ethic and how much the players care about each other. A true pleasure to coach. A lot goes into travel and I’m proud of how the players represent themselves and the program. A well-oiled machine. We travel in coat and tie and the boys do a wonderful job representing our University, Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico. Enough fluff…lets get down to business.
LOBOS VS CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, 7:00 PM:
Northridge is a team we love to play. Very skillful, attack minded and a team who wants to play out of the back and connect passes. Big promotion for our match and great crowd appreciative of attractive soccer. We came out strong and had the better of play. I really liked our energy and we did everything but find the net. We were very disciplined with our shape and limited costly fouls….didn’t want to gift needless set pieces to CSUN. We went into the intermission 0-0, but liked our chances. The second half was a continuation of the first stanza. Quality play, good chances, but no finished product. The longer the game went on, the more uncertainty on who would get the kind bounces. After 90 minutes, 0-0 with the Lobos seeing the better of things, but nothing to show for it. We felt good entering the first 10 minute overtime. Early on, a CSUN player picked up his second yellow card for a reckless tackle and we found ourselves up a man. We picked up the pace and five minutes in, Niko Hansen found the ball on the left flank. He deftly beat two defenders and found his way into the box…the third defender chased from a bad starting position and made contact from behind. The official pointed to the penalty spot and Chris Wehan stepped up to take the potential game winning shot. Wehan had scored our previous four goals, so why not make it an even five. Well hit shot to the keepers right. 1-0 Lobos and our second win in a row over a quality Northridge team.
Recap: http://www.golobos.com/news/2015/9/11/MSOC_0911154246.aspx
LOBOS VS #19 LOYOLA MARYMOUNT: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, 4:00 PM:
LMU entered our match with a record of 5-0-0 and a #19 national ranking. A very skilled, attacking team with excellent individuals and a collective mentality. This was going to be a great test. Our fourth ranked opponent in five games. We weren’t thrilled with the 4:00 kickoff and the associated heat. We came out poised and energized. We got ahold of the game early and played like a confident team. 14 minutes in, a miss-placed pass, 50/50 ball, crazy bounce and a tremendous finish….0-1 LMU. The rest of the half was played primarily in the midfield and we went into halftime down a goal. The boys were confident and excited to get back at it for the final 45 minutes. We created chances and played some great stuff, but failed to find the mark for the first 29 minutes of the second half. We were awarded a direct kick about 40 yards out. Ball into the box and cleared out to Chris Gurule on the right flank. Gurule played a ball across the box (still to be determined whether a shot or cross?) and found Nick Rochowski alone on the far post for the 74th minute tap in. 1-1 and Rochowski the first Lobo not named Wehan to find the net on the season. We began to find our rhythm. We were awarded another direct kick in the 76th minute, 30 yards out. Goss and Wehan stood behind the ball with Goss dummying the left footed shot and Wehan taking his chance with his right. Wehan aka Phil Niekro (baseball trivia for you) hit the ball dead center and it jumped around like a crazed firework. The LMU keeper was frozen in his tracks trying to track the ball with its dizzying movement. Back of the net. 2-1 Lobos and the score held. Wehan with his 6th goal of the season and third consecutive game winner. Three wins in a row and the boys playing some wonderful soccer.
Recap: http://www.golobos.com/news/2015/9/13/MSOC_0913152001.aspx
For their efforts, Chris Wehan and keeper, Jason Beaulieu named Conference USA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week (both for the second time this season): http://www.golobos.com/news/2015/9/14/MSOC_0914153836.aspx
Week two of “Fish Off The Pitch” up and running with special guest Francesco Casucci:
https://golobos.com/news/2015/9/15/MSOC_0915154418.aspx
I can’t say enough about this team. Extremely unified and driven to achieve more. Our success has been the result of 27 players working for each other and making one another better! Excited for our next match this Friday night vs. Missouri State at the TLC Plumbing and Utility Invitational and Sunday’s match vs. 5-1-0 American University. Two great tests.
TLC PLUMBING AND UTILITY INVITATIONAL AT THE LOBO SOCCER COMPLEX:
–FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18TH 7:00 PM: LOBOS VS MISSOURI STATE
–SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH 6:00 PM: LOBOS VS AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
Thanks for all your support and see you this weekend. We are playing for you! GO LOBOS.
FISH