Lobo Soccer- at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium (5,000)
When: Friday at 5 p.m. (MT)
Who: South Carolina Gamecocks
GoLobos.com: Live stats, box score, live stream, postgame recap
Video: The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and on the WatchESPN app
Weather Forecast: 71 degrees, 70% chance of thunderstorms
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team opens Conference USA play this weekend with a very difficult test at the South Carolina Gamecocks, who are coming off a 3-1 win over No. 8 Elon Tuesday night. If that doesn’t grab the attention of the newly minted No. 7 Lobos, who are on a five-match winning streak, it should.
“They’re a good team with some real capable players,” UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein said about the Gamecocks. “I sure hope they come out and play us and want to go toe-to-toe. That’s what we look for. We want a game where we can get at them and commit numbers to the attack, and so does the opponent. That’s what makes for an entertaining game.”
Each of UNM’s five wins this season has come by a single goal, so while the Lobos aren’t blowing teams out, they are stepping up and playing well at the right times.
“Little moments dictate outcomes,” Fishbein said. “I feel good about (the team) because we’ve carried play at important times. … And five of our seven opponents have been in the top 25 when we’ve played them so we’ve played, and played well against, top teams.”
The Lobos will need to be at their best to start conference play off on the right foot with a road win. South Carolina recently endured a three-game stretch that saw it concede 11 goals and score just three. However, a new look to the backline and a change in goal has led to a pair of wins by a combined score of 4-1.
“Our first focus needs to be defensively,” said Fishbein. “If you shut out your opponent you’re not going to lose, and we’ve been pretty good on the defensive side. We need to continue to get balanced scoring too. It was very important for Niko Hansen to get going last weekend. He scored two big goals, and one of them was a really world-class goal.”
Hansen was named C-USA’s Offensive Player of the Week after scoring the game-winner against Missouri State and the game-tying goal against No. 21 American last weekend. He’s the only Lobo aside from Chris Wehan (6 G) to have scored multiple goals this season. Going up against a South Carolina squad that is averaging nearly two goals per contest, it’s important for UNM to have a varied attack.
Series Record: 1-1-0
Home: 1-0-0; Road: 0-1-0; Neutral: 0-0-0
Last meeting: The Lobos lost in overtime in their only previous visit to Columbia, 2-1 in 2013. They defeated the Gamecocks 2-1 at home late last season.
Up Next: The Lobos return home for two matches. Up first is San Francisco on Wed., Sept. 30, followed by Kentucky on Sunday, Oct. 4.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA … The Gamecocks opened their Conference USA campaign with a 1-0 win at UAB last weekend. The shutout was their first of the season and was a change of pace after having allowed 11 goals in their three previous matches. South Carolina has a tremendous home atmosphere, averaging 3,356 fans. The crowd supports an attack led in the midfield by junior college transfer Danny Deakin (6 G, 1 A) and senior Ryan Arambula (3 A). Marco Velez started the first five games in goal but averaged just a 2.68 GAA. Sophomore transfer William Pyle is now the starting keeper and has a GAA of 0.84 and 12 saves while going 2-0-0.
NSCAA TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD … The Lobos earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award on Sept. 23, the fourth straight year they’ve accomplished that. It’s the 12th time under Coach Fishbein the Lobos have earned the award. Their 3.44 team GPA was the fourth highest among all Division I men’s soccer programs.
BACK-TO-BACK AWARD SWEEPS … UNM swept the Conference USA Player of the Week Awards for the second straight week. Niko Hansen and Nicholas Rochowski were named C-USA Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, on Sept. 21. The Lobos have won six of the eight awards handed out this season.
LOBOS WIN TLC INVITATIONAL … UNM won the TLC Plumbing & Utility Invitational last weekend courtesy of their wins over Missouri State (1-0) and No. 21 American (2-1, OT). Niko Hansen was named Tournament MVP and Offensive MVP, Nicholas Rochowski was the Defensive MVP, and Francesco Casucci and Patrick Khouri were named to the All-Tournament Team.
NO QUIT … Amazingly UNM has yet to score a goal in the first half of any match this season, and the Lobos have found themselves trailing at the half four times in 2015. However, they are undefeated in those matches, going 3-0-1.
LOBOS SWEEP AWARDS … UNM swept the C-USA Players of the Week Awards on Sept. 14. Chris Wehan repeated as Offensive Player of the Week after scoring both game-winning goals for the Lobos. Jason Beaulieu earned his second Defensive Player of the Week award this year after earning his first shutout of the season on Sept. 12 and making eight saves during the weekend.
WEHAN CONSENSUS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK … Chris Wehan swept the National Player of the Week awards by major publications following his back-to-back two-goal games against San Diego and UCSB Sept. 4 and 6. He earned the honor from College Soccer News, Top Drawer Soccer and the NSCAA.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING … Four Lobos made their first career start in UNM’s loss at No. 1 UCLA on Aug. 29: sophomore Lucas Seligman, true freshman Aaron Herrera, and redshirt freshmen Matt Dorsey and Patrick Khouri. Herrera and Khouri went on to play all 90 minutes. Two other true freshmen, Francesco Casucci and Kasper Kajermo, both made their collegiate debuts as substitutes. Simon Spangenberg, another true freshman, made his debut against San Diego on Sept. 4.
YOUNG BUT SAME EXPECTATIONS … The Lobos are one of the youngest teams in the nation this year with 15 freshmen and four sophomores. Their total of 19 underclassmen is the 11th most in the country, and the highest in C-USA. Despite the youth, though, head coach Jeremy Fishbein expects the youngsters to play like veterans.